British holidaymakers faced chaotic scenes at Milan's Linate airport on Sunday, with some fainting and vomiting as three-hour queues caused by new EU border controls led to them missing their flight. Around 100 passengers were stranded after EasyJet flight EJU5420 to Manchester departed without them, despite the airline delaying the plane by over 50 minutes.
Passengers described overcrowded conditions and extreme heat, with some falling ill. Keira, 17, from Oldham, told the BBC she and her boyfriend faced a 20-hour wait for a replacement flight, with her mother paying £520 for new flights to Gatwick rather than Manchester. She said only about 30 people made it onto the plane. Another passenger, Adam Lomas, 33, travelling with his wife and four-month-old daughter, criticised the airline for unhelpful chatbots and said some travellers had driven to Pisa to fly home.
EasyJet blamed the delays on the implementation of the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires biometric registration including fingerprints and photographs. The system, due to launch last October, became fully operational on April 10. The airline said it had advised customers to allow extra time and urged border authorities to use available flexibilities to prevent such delays. It offered free flight transfers to those affected.
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary accused the EU of punishing British holidaymakers over Brexit, as similar delays were reported at airports across Europe, including Lisbon and Paris.
