British passengers returning home via European airports should allow three hours before their flights, according to Wizz Air boss Yvonne Moynihan, due to long queues caused by the new EU entry-exit system (EES). The system, which replaces passport stamps with digital registration, became fully operational last month after a gradual rollout since October 2025.
Moynihan told the BBC that while standard advice is to arrive two hours early, “in these circumstances, we are advising three hours”. She noted that the impact is “fragmented across Europe”, with seamless travel in some areas but long queues at hotspots like Spain, Portugal, and France. She also suggested bringing portable chargers and water, and allowing extra time for connecting flights.
The European airports association ACI Europe reported that queues have reached up to 3.5 hours at peak times, based on a survey of 45 airports in 20 EU states. Last week, French police temporarily suspended EES checks at the port of Dover under an emergency clause, as thousands of holidaymakers faced delays in hot weather.
The European Commission said EES registration typically takes about a minute and that other factors can also cause delays.
