Budget airline Wizz Air has advised passengers to arrive at the airport three hours before their flight due to new border control checks, but a travel expert has labelled the guidance 'useless' for most UK travellers. The airline's managing director, Yvonne Moynihan, warned that holidaymakers have missed return or connecting flights because of lengthy queues since the rollout of the Entry Exit System (EES) in April.
Travel specialist Kate Donnelly, known as @Thedonnellyedit on TikTok, argues that the advice does not reflect reality for short-haul flyers. 'The general advice is to get to the airport two hours before your flight,' she said. 'Wizz Air is advising people to arrive three hours before their departure to beat queues and reduce the risk of missing their flight due to the EES system. So, while this advice appears sensible, the reality is that most check-in desks only open two hours before departure, in some cases two and a half hours.'
According to Wizz Air's website, check-in and baggage drop-off open two hours before departure and close 40 minutes before. The only UK airport with earlier check-in is London Luton, where desks open three hours before departure for all travellers. A Wizz Air spokesperson said: 'While some check-in only opens two hours before, Wizz Air's advice remains the same. Passengers should leave home early and allow extra time to reach the airport. This will ensure they have plenty of time and will be at the front of the queue when check-in opens.'
Donnelly suggested that passengers travelling with hand luggage only could benefit most from arriving early, as they can go straight through security. However, she noted that airport layout can cause delays: 'A lot of airports have more than one border control, meaning that you are still going to have to wait until the announcement is made for your gate so that you know which border control you need to go to.'
For those travelling to the Schengen area—which includes popular destinations like Spain, Turkey, and Greece—Donnelly recommends sticking with the two-hour rule, as airport processes have not changed. First-time EES users must scan their passport, have a photo taken, and provide a four-fingerprint scan (children under 12 are exempt). This creates a digital record valid for three years, after which only a passport scan and one biometric identifier are needed.
