EasyJet passengers have been issued with an important warning ahead of the busy summer holiday season. The airline and travel company has warned UK holidaymakers visiting Gibraltar that they should 'allow extra time' for both legs of their journey due to border checks at airports.
Under the new Entry/Exit System (EES), third-country nationals are required to provide their biometric data including fingerprints and photographs at the EU border along with their passport details. This will then create a digital record which will be valid for three years and will replace passport stamping.
The implementation of the new system has caused chaos at airports, with some passengers even being stranded due to missing their flights.
Warning Issued for Gibraltar Travel
In an alert issued on Tuesday, June 16, UK holidaymakers heading to Gibraltar this summer have been advised to leave extra time for both inbound and outbound journeys. Travel operator EasyJet said: "Important updates for Gibraltar travel. Entry/Exit System (EES) Border Checks: EES border checks may be carried out for both arrivals and departures at Gibraltar Airport, which could result in longer waiting times when entering or leaving the country. Please allow extra time when planning both legs of your journey."
Visa Requirements and Schengen Allowance
EasyJet says that UK nationals can continue to visit Gibraltar without needing a visa as long as it is for short stays. For non-EU nationals, including UK nationals travelling visa-free, time spent in Gibraltar now counts towards the 90-day Schengen allowance. Non-EU or third-country nationals may require a Schengen visa to enter Gibraltar and should check visa/entry requirements before travelling.
In some European destinations British travellers have breezed through the border in a matter of minutes, while in other countries passengers have faced queues of several hours, in some cases even missing their flights.
Expert Insights on EES Delays
Speaking to The Independent’s daily travel podcast, Dr Nick Brown, who has worked in IT for European bodies and around the world, explained why the system works in some places and not others. "It’s a whole combination of things that go wrong when large organisations and governments try to put in place big systems," he said. "With ambitious plans in some places, EES is working absolutely like clockwork. In others, it isn’t. We hear stories of the national authorities doing the wrong thing, and in other cases, we hear of technological chaos."
Dr Brown pointed out that in places like Majorca the system is working well, thanks to the technology in place with both the EES kiosks and eGates working correctly. He said that in places like Milan where there has been congestion, there isn't "any leeway when planes are getting delayed". But he added that the correct practice is to suspend the EES checks when queues do build up. Dr Brown explained: "The rules are actually designed so that it doesn’t matter absolutely if you don’t get your biometrics done on one or other occasion. We’re not running a nuclear programme here. The idea is that the vast majority of people will have their biometrics taken or checked on most entries, and member states are expected to do that."
