New EU entry-exit warning: ‘Leave extra four hours’ for passing through new system
Travel expert warns of long delays ahead of new EU entry-exit system
- A leading travel industry figure has warned of potential four-hour delays for British travellers at European airports due to the new EU entry-exit system (EES).
- The EES, which begins its rollout on 12 October, will require UK passport holders to provide fingerprints and facial biometrics upon entering the Schengen area.
- Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, advised travellers to allow three to four hours from touchdown to clear border controls.
- Concerns exist that key airports, particularly in southern Europe, could be overwhelmed by the influx of British holidaymakers during the six-month rollout period.
- The EES applies to UK citizens because the Brexit deal designated them as third-country nationals, a status not anticipated when the system was first conceived.