Almost 70 Ryanair passengers missed their flight to Edinburgh from Lanzarote on Monday, reportedly due to delays at border control caused by a failure in the airport's new Entry/Exit System (EES).
Those travelling back to the Scottish capital were left stranded at Lanzarote Airport on May 4, owing to passport control system failures, with several flights believed to have been affected. A total of 68 holidaymakers failed to reach the boarding gate before it closed, due to problems with the EES, which is used to register third-country nationals, including British citizens.
Ryanair confirmed that all passengers who presented at the boarding gate before departure were accommodated and travelled without incident. According to local publication Canarian Weekly, the disruption affected those travelling to destinations outside the European Union, reports Edinburgh Live.
How the Entry/Exit System Works
Under the EES, travellers are required to provide biometric data, including fingerprints and a photograph, to establish a digital record valid for three years, replacing the traditional passport stamping system. The system is intended to streamline passport checks and track how long visa-free travellers remain within the EU, but it has been beset by delays, with lengthy queues reported at passport control across various locations.
Lanzarote Airport has now become the latest to face disruption. Operations were reportedly thrown into chaos by 11am, causing delays and confusion in departure areas. Canarian Weekly reports that the disruption was triggered by a failure in the passport control system according to National Police sources, while other sources suggested a wider disconnection issue across Europe, which slowed systems at multiple airports. The issue was resolved by midday.
Ryanair's Call for Suspension
Ryanair has recently pressured EU governments to abandon the EES during the peak travel season, writing to administrations in 29 countries demanding they halt the new entry requirements. The airline's chief operations officer, Neal McMahon, stated: "Governments across Europe are attempting to roll out a half-baked IT system in the middle of the busiest travel season of the year, and passengers are paying the price, being forced to endure hours-long passport control queues and in some cases, missing flights."
McMahon added: "The solution is simple and already provided for under EU law (EU Reg. 2025/1534) – Governments should suspend EES until September when the peak summer travel season has subsided, just as Greece has done. This would allow passengers – many of whom are travelling with young families – a smoother airport experience for their summer holidays."
The Spanish National Police Force were contacted for a response but have not yet commented.
