Travel expert Simon Calder has issued a serious warning to all Britons travelling to Europe this summer. Significant changes to entry requirements across European countries this year have led to lengthy delays for passengers.
New EU Entry/Exit System Causes Chaos
The new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) was fully rolled out on April 10, causing substantial travel disruption. Holidaymakers have been caught in queues stretching for hours as they attempt to navigate the digital border system. Some travellers have even missed their flights, leaving their holidays in ruins. The system operates at airport arrivals and departures throughout the EU and the Schengen area.
Simon Calder's Advice: Be Prepared
Simon admitted the only "useful" guidance he can offer holidaymakers is to "be prepared for anything" regarding the delays. On his podcast, The Travel Expert with Simon Calder, he said: "It is annoying when you are on the way into a country, when you're standing in line for a couple of hours, when you would rather be on the beach or in my case, in the bar. But when you are coming out and have a plane to catch, lots of people are saying get there three hours in advance. I guess we would say that, but ideally three hours in advance with cabin baggage and nothing to check in."
Key Recommendations for Travellers
Simon has warned holidaymakers to allow sufficient time for airport checks when leaving the EU and the Schengen area. He suggests avoiding checking in bags altogether to save additional time. His fellow presenter on The Travel Expert podcast, Greg Dickinson, said: "It has been a complete scandal, and it will keep going." Greg noted that "one of the main frustrations" with the system is that travellers have to submit their biometric data more than once. He said: "That shouldn't be happening. It should only happen on the first occasion [of entering the Schengen area]. Part of this is because the machines aren't talking to each other. It is not as joined up as you would hope it would be. Many airports don't have a segregated lane for people who have had their ESS checks done already."
Biometric Data Issues and Airport Delays
Greg further noted on the podcast: "This isn't how it should be working, but in many cases, people are having their fingerprints taken on multiple occasions." Simon had previously labelled the system a "Euro shambles" before identifying which parts of Europe are most severely affected by the new procedure. The expert named Milan Malpensa, Lisbon, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt and Copenhagen as the airports with the "worst" delays.
