British travellers heading to Europe are facing disruption and confusion following the rollout of the EU’s new entry-exit system (EES). The chaos was laid bare when 122 easyJet passengers were left behind in Milan due to long biometric queues – fuelling fears for the summer holiday season.
During a recent Q&A, travel expert Simon Calder answered readers' questions about who is responsible for missed flights, what support is available, and how the system works in practice. He explained that passengers will usually bear the cost of delays at border control, with airlines and insurers unlikely to help unless trips are booked as package holidays.
Other questions covered repeat fingerprinting, airport queues and support for disabled travellers, with teething problems still affecting how the system is applied. With patchy implementation and limited protections, travellers are being urged to allow extra time and prepare for delays.
Calder noted that passengers who miss flights due to EES queues are entirely responsible for sorting out and paying for their travel disarray. The only possible route for claims is if a package holiday was booked, but even then the tour operator may argue its obligation ends once the traveller is delivered to the departure airport. The Association of British Insurers confirmed that travel insurance is unlikely to cover losses from delays caused by EES queues.
Regarding repeat fingerprinting, Calder said that at some national frontiers the registration system is not working properly and therefore does not recognise travellers who have already provided their biometrics. He described this as teething problems. For those who registered at Eurostar, the kiosks are currently idle, and at most frontiers travellers will need to go to an EES kiosk before proceeding to the border. The only fast track known is at Palma Airport in Spain.
Calder also clarified that holders of EU passports will always get a fast track and need not provide biometrics. Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries resident in the EU with a physical Article 50 residency card are exempt from EES at every Schengen border post and will also avoid the need for ETIAS. During the six-month rollout, double red tape – passport stamping and possibly EES registration – is expected, but stamping should eventually disappear.
