British passengers returning home via European airports have been advised to arrive three hours before their flights, as the EU's new entry-exit system (EES) causes significant delays. The system, which replaces passport stamps with digital registration, has been fully operational since last month, leading to queues of up to 3.5 hours at peak times, according to a survey by ACI Europe.
Wizz Air boss Yvonne Moynihan told the BBC that while standard advice is to arrive two hours early, passengers should now allow three hours due to additional passport checks. She noted that the impact varies across Europe, with long queues reported in Spain, Portugal, and France, but seamless travel in some other locations.
Moynihan also advised passengers to bring portable chargers and water, as queues may occur at destination airports, and to allow several hours between connecting flights. The European airports association ACI Europe described the situation as deteriorating, with many airports now reporting excessive waiting times despite partial suspensions of EES.
Last week, French police temporarily suspended EES checks at the Port of Dover after thousands of holidaymakers faced long delays in hot weather. A port spokesperson welcomed the use of an article 9 clause, which allows for temporary relaxation of the checks. The European Commission said EES is not the sole cause of delays and that registration typically takes about a minute.
