More than 100 easyJet passengers were left stranded at Milan Linate Airport on Sunday after missing their flight to Manchester due to severe delays linked to the European Union’s new digital border system. Travellers described scenes of vomiting, fainting, and hours-long queues at passport control, forcing many to spend thousands of pounds on alternative travel.
The disruption has been attributed to the rollout of the EU’s European Entry/Exit System (EES), which came into force across the Schengen area on Friday. The system requires non-EU travellers, including Britons, to register biometric data such as facial images and fingerprints on entry and exit, causing significantly longer processing times.
Passenger Carol Boon, 59, from Staffordshire, described the experience as “horrible” and said there was “arguing, someone fainted, someone was sick.” She had been on a hen do in Milan and has since paid for accommodation while waiting for a flight to Gatwick. Max Hume, 56, from Leeds, spent £1,800 on alternative travel via Luxembourg after easyJet offered him a flight days later with only £19 compensation.
Industry bodies ACI Europe and Airlines for Europe (A4E) confirmed that early implementation has led to waiting times of two to three hours at peak periods across multiple airports. In one case, no passengers had reached a departure gate by the scheduled closing time, with only 12 arriving 90 minutes later.
Travel agent Laura Featonby noted that biometric checks “inevitably slow down border movement” and warned that longer processing times are likely to become standard. Airlines and airports have cautioned that the current rollout risks widespread operational strain ahead of the busy summer season unless procedures are adjusted.
