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 my latest Ask Me Anything, readers asked who is responsible for missed flights, what support is available, and how the system works in practice. I 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.
One reader asked: “If I miss my flight due to EES queues, who is responsible?” I replied that passengers are entirely responsible for sorting out and paying for their travel disarray. The only possible route for claims is if you have booked a package holiday, but even then the tour operator may argue its obligation ends once you are delivered to the departure airport for your homeward flight.
Another question: “Can I claim costs after missing a flight due to EES queues?” I noted that nobody is particularly interested in helping such people. Airlines say it is down to the passenger to ensure they are at the gate on time, and insurance will not pay out. A spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers said: “Longer wait times are expected as the entry-exit system comes into effect… Travel insurance is unlikely to cover losses from delays caused by EES queues.”
On the question of why travellers are still being fingerprinted repeatedly after registering, I 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 – which would be classed as teething problems by Brussels.
