A travel expert has warned holidaymakers not to take check-in bags on flights to Europe this summer, citing new EU border rules that are causing significant delays. The Entry Exit System (EES), which requires fingerprinting and photographing of non-EU travellers like UK citizens, has led to long queues at airports across the continent.
EES Rollout Causes Widespread Disruption
Uku Sarekanno, deputy executive director of EU border agency Frontex, admitted that some member states are struggling to implement the system. He warned that delays may not stabilise for up to two years. The International Air Transport Association has cautioned that border queues could reach six hours this summer, with airports in Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy among the worst affected.
In April, over 100 easyJet passengers missed a flight from Milan Linate to Manchester due to EES-related delays. The system, introduced in October 2024 and ramped up on April 10, 2025, now applies to approximately 1,700 border crossing points across 29 Schengen Area countries.
Industry Criticism and Traveler Concerns
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, described the situation as a serious policy failure. A Booking.com survey found that 59% of UK holidaymakers expect EES-related delays this year, and nearly half fear missing flights because of the checks.
Expert Advice: Skip Checked Luggage
Travel journalist Kate Pasola, who specialises in travel rules, explained to Which? that EES checks occur after security, making it impossible to gauge queue lengths beforehand. She noted that bag drop desks often open only two hours before flights, which may not be enough time to clear security and EES. Pasola said, “That’s why I am not taking a checked-in bag with me this summer - I don’t want to miss my plane because I have to wait for the bag drop to open. I plan to arrive at the airport three hours before a flight to account for potential disruption.”
While acknowledging that EES queues are not problematic everywhere, Pasola recommended that travellers skip checked bags altogether. Doing so allows passengers to arrive at the airport at their convenience and pass through security and passport control more quickly.
