Italy and Portugal are tipped to be the next countries to abandon the European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES) border checks at airports, following Greece's lead, potentially easing chaos for British holidaymakers.
Background on EES Delays
The EU's Entry/Exit System requires travellers from non-EU countries, including the United Kingdom, to have their fingerprints registered and photographs taken when entering the Schengen Area. This has caused significant delays at airports across continental Europe, with many British tourists experiencing long queues.
Last month, over 100 easyJet passengers missed a flight from Milan Linate airport to Manchester due to delays at passport desks. Greece has already suspended the new rules for UK holidaymakers until September after they led to huge queues.
Italy and Portugal Expected to Follow
Airports in Portugal are reportedly already waving passengers through when queues become too large. Italy is expected to follow Greece by allowing entry with a simple passport stamp as the May half-term holiday approaches. Other popular destinations such as Spain, France, and Croatia may also adopt similar measures.
Seamus McCauley, from travel company Holiday Extras, commented: "The rollout has been an utter fiasco. British tourists are worth €3.5 billion a year to the Greek economy, and it has rightly decided it will not jeopardise that because EES is not working properly."
He added: "It seems certain Italy and Portugal will do the same as Greece. After that, the whole system could collapse like a house of cards, with Spain, France, and Croatia coming to the same conclusion because nobody wants to see their tourist trade go to another country simply to comply with the EU."
McCauley further stated: "Greece broke ranks, and Portugal keeps suspending the rules. Others are almost certain to follow. Something has to give."
Ryanair Introduces Earlier Check-In Deadline
In related news, Ryanair has announced that passengers requiring airport check-in or bag-drop services must complete the process 20 minutes earlier than before. The airline will close these services one hour before the scheduled departure, compared to the current 40 minutes, to allow passengers more time to get through security and passport checks.
The carrier stated that this change will reduce the "very small number of passengers" who miss their flight while stuck in queues. Ryanair's website warns that passengers who fail to check in on time "may be denied boarding without refund." The new policy will take effect from November 10.
