British tourists have identified two Spanish airports as the worst in Europe for passport control delays this summer. According to The Canarian Weekly, UK holidaymakers ranked Tenerife South and Lanzarote Airports as the poorest in Europe for passport control delays.
Ryanair warns of extended queues
Earlier this month, Ryanair cautioned millions of UK families heading to Europe to brace for extended passport queues and airport disruptions caused by the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES). The system has continued to cause chaos months after its launch.
The carrier highlighted persistent EES trouble spots where travellers face considerable delays due to sluggish processing and excessive passport control queues for both arrivals and departures. These locations include Lisbon, Tenerife South, Madrid, Lanzarote, Alicante, Malaga, Milan Bergamo, Milan Malpensa, Verona, Paris Beauvais, Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt Hahn, Krakow and Budapest – all favoured destinations for UK families during the peak summer break.
EES system blamed for chaos
Much of the chaos has been attributed to the European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES), which replaced manual passport stamping with a digital registration procedure for non-EU citizens travelling to the Schengen Area for brief visits. The system began its rollout in October 2025 and became fully compulsory on 10 April this year.
The new system captures travellers' facial images, fingerprints and passport information each time they cross into or out of the Schengen zone. While intended to enhance security and expedite border checks, its rollout has resulted in substantial delays at numerous busy European airports.
Ryanair will not wait for delayed passengers
Over the weekend, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary announced that the airline will not hold flights for passengers caught in lengthy border control delays - regardless of whether it's their fault. Mr O'Leary said: "We will not wait for anybody."
Strike action at Palma Airport
There are also warnings for UK travellers to travel with hand luggage only, as strike action hits a popular Spanish airport. Staff at Mallorca's Palma Airport responsible for the upkeep of baggage belts, sorting systems and tarmac vehicles, as well as those managing boarding bridges, have begun walking out.
Industrial action spanning several days, involving two separate groups of workers, is set to cause disruption. From Tuesday 28, Swissport staff — responsible for airline check-in desks, baggage handling and ramp services at Palma Airport — were also planning a series of walkouts during peak periods, and again on August 1, 4 and 8, in a row over pay and working conditions.
