Easyjet has criticized the delays at borders caused by the new European Entry/Exit System (EES) as “unacceptable”.
The EES, initially planned to start last October, finally became fully operational on April 10.
In light of this, the UK government advised travellers heading to the European Schengen area that they may be required to register their biometric information, like fingerprints and photos, upon arrival.
The government stated that travellers do not need to take any action prior to reaching the border, and there is no fee for EES registration.
“EES registration is replacing the current practice of manually stamping passports upon entry to the EU.
“The EES process may require additional time for each passenger, so travellers should be prepared for longer than usual wait times at the border,” the statement added.
A spokesperson for Easyjet acknowledged the extended passport control queues experienced by some passengers departing from Milan Linate, advising customers to allow extra time for airport procedures.
“We have been taking all necessary measures to minimize the impact of airport queues, including holding flights for customers needing more time and offering free flight transfers for those who missed their flights, like EJU5420 to Manchester.
“We are continuing to urge border authorities to maximize the allowed flexibilities during the implementation of the European Entry/Exit System, in order to prevent such unacceptable delays for our customers.
“While this issue is beyond our control, we apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
