British holidaymakers could face waiting times up to four times longer at European airports from October, when the European Union's new 'entry-exit' system (EES) comes into force, aviation chiefs have warned the UK government.
The system will require passengers to undergo biometric checks—registering fingerprints and having a photo taken—to enter the bloc, with re-registration needed every three years. Industry sources say processing times could rise from 30 seconds to 120 seconds per person, leading to huge queues and potential flight cancellations as planes wait on the tarmac.
During a call between industry leaders and Whitehall officials earlier this month, concerns were raised that smaller regional airports, particularly those with lower budgets, may lack the infrastructure to handle the volume of registrations. Examples given included disruption for second homeowners flying into remote airports and children potentially missing trips to Lapland to see Santa.
The new rules present an early test for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, with calls for him to urge Brussels to delay the scheme or seek derogations for British travellers. David Jones, a former Tory Brexit minister, described it as a 'really major problem' that could deter travel and harm regional European economies.
An EU app intended to allow pre-travel biometric registration is not expected to be ready by October. The scheme, already delayed twice from its original 2022 start, may face further postponement. UK ports like Dover are also scrambling to prepare for the extra processing time.
