Massive Border Control Delays Leave EasyJet Passengers Stranded in Milan
More than 100 EasyJet passengers have been left stranded at Milan Linate airport after extensive delays at border control caused them to miss their scheduled flight back to Manchester. The incident, which occurred on Sunday night, has sparked outrage among travellers, with many taking to social media to describe queues lasting up to three hours and reports of some passengers falling ill while waiting in the heat.
Passengers Describe Chaotic Scenes and Significant Disruption
One passenger detailed on Facebook how they arrived at the airport with three hours to spare, only to be refused entry at the European Entry/Exit System (EES) processing point and forced to wait for two hours. "The airport held us back from joining the queue to allow the BA flight to go. We did everything that EasyJet asked," they wrote, highlighting the frustration felt by many.
Kiera, a 17-year-old from Oldham, shared her experience with the BBC, explaining that she and her boyfriend arrived at 7:30 PM for an 11:00 PM flight. "We got to Border Control and it was a massive queue of people. I wasn't feeling great anyway because I think I'd got food poisoning," she said. At approximately 10:50 PM, water was distributed, but shortly after, they were informed that their flight had departed, with only about 30 passengers onboard and around 100 left behind.
Kiera now faces a 20-hour wait at the airport and additional costs of £520 for new flights, which will require travelling to Gatwick instead of Manchester. Another passenger, Adam Lomas, 33, from Wakefield, is stranded with his wife and four-month-old daughter. He reported difficulties contacting EasyJet, encountering chatbots and audio issues before being disconnected. The family is now seeking a hotel and alternative flights via London to retrieve their daughter's baby seat in Manchester.
EasyJet Responds, Blames New European Entry System
An EasyJet spokesman attributed the delays to issues at passport control related to the European Entry/Exit System, implemented in October. "We are aware that some passengers departing from Milan Linate today experienced longer than usual waiting times at passport control and we advised customers due to fly to allow additional time to make their way through the airport," he stated.
The airline claims to have taken measures to mitigate the impact, including holding flights to allow extra time for passengers and providing free flight transfers for those who missed their flights, such as EJU5420 to Manchester. However, they emphasised that the situation is outside their control, urging border authorities to utilise permitted flexibilities during the EES implementation to prevent further delays. "We continue to urge border authorities to ensure they make full and effective use of the permitted flexibilities for as long as needed while European Entry / Exit System is implemented, to avoid these unacceptable border delays for our customers. While this is outside of our control, we are sorry for any inconvenience caused," the spokesman added.
This incident underscores ongoing challenges with border management in European airports, particularly following the introduction of new systems aimed at enhancing security but potentially leading to operational bottlenecks. Passengers are advised to allow extra time for airport processes when travelling internationally, especially during peak periods or in regions implementing new regulations.
