Ryanair Warns UK Families of Long Airport Queues This Summer

Summer Travel Challenges in Europe

As the summer travel season approaches, UK families are being warned about potential delays and long queues at European airports due to the implementation of the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES). This new system, which requires non-EU citizens to have their fingerprints and photos taken at the border, has caused significant disruptions since its rollout in April. With schools now on break and passenger volumes at their peak, the situation is expected to lead to unnecessary delays for many travelers.

Ryanair, one of the largest airlines operating in the region, has identified several hotspots where passengers are experiencing major issues with the EES. These include popular destinations such as Lisbon, Tenerife South, Madrid, Lanzarote, Alicante, Malaga, Milan Bergamo, Milan Malpensa, Verona, Paris Beauvais, Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt Hahn, Krakow, and Budapest. The airline warns that these locations may see extended waits at passport control, leading to stress and frustration for travelers.

The EES system was designed to streamline border controls, but it has instead created chaos at many airports. Many airports still lack fully functioning self-service kiosks, and staffing levels and infrastructure remain inadequate to handle the high volume of passengers. As a result, travelers are facing avoidable delays and longer queues, which can cause them to miss flights or face other inconveniences.

This issue has already led to some alarming incidents. Earlier this year, airline passengers were left vomiting and passing out after becoming stranded in Milan due to border control chaos. Around 100 easyJet customers were abandoned at Linate airport while waiting to board a flight to Manchester on April 12, with three-hour queues plaguing travelers as the new EU border rules came into force.

Another incident occurred when a Ryanair flight from Milan Bergamo to Manchester took off without a number of its passengers on board. Adam Hassanjee, an 18-year-old from Bolton, described the experience: "We were waiting for an hour and a half and weren't moving. Then we see the plane leave and got told we have to go and book our own flight back." Reports suggest around 30 people were left stranded, although Ryanair did not confirm exact numbers.

A study has also revealed that European holiday hotspots where travelers are most likely to face lengthy flight delays include Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, and Alicante, as well as Kefalonia, Corfu, and Rhodes. These destinations are among the top 20 affected by the EES system, raising concerns about the potential for frustrating waits before many holidaymakers even reach the beach.

Ryanair is advising UK passengers traveling to and from non-Schengen destinations, or transiting through affected European airports, to allow extra time for their journey. Travelers should be prepared for extended waits at passport control, where EES checks may require passport scanning, fingerprint capture, and facial image verification.

The airline supports calls from EU Member States to extend the current EES flexibilities into early 2027. This would give airports and border authorities more time to fix malfunctioning kiosks, increase staffing levels, and ensure the system can operate efficiently before full enforcement is introduced.

"Families heading away for a well-earned summer holiday should be thinking about suitcases, suncream and sangria, not standing in passport queues for hours," said Neal McMahon, Ryanair's chief operations officer. "The reality is that the EES system isn't working properly and families are paying the price for a system that does not work months after launch."

Recent research suggests that Europe's new biometric border system could redirect nearly £2 billion in British tourist spending away from Schengen destinations this summer. A study by travel company Holiday Extras found that one in 30 people have already changed their holiday plans specifically because of queues at border control, with almost a fifth saying they are likely to change their plans this year.

When applied to ONS data, which shows Brits make 96 million UK trips abroad at an average Schengen spend of £830 per trip, the study suggests the Schengen Zone is at risk of losing £1.9 billion in UK tourist revenue in 2026 alone. Spain faces the largest absolute loss of any country, estimated at around £720 million, followed by France and Italy with losses of around £370 million and £190 million respectively.

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