EasyJet passengers describe EU border ‘nightmare’
EasyJet passengers describe EU border ‘nightmare’
Travelers stranded after their EasyJet flight departed without them reported spending over £1,000 to return to the UK, calling the EU’s new border system a ‘nightmare.’ More than 100 passengers missed their scheduled flight to Manchester from Milan’s Linate airport on Sunday, enduring chaotic passport control delays tied to the European Entry-Exit System (EES) launched by the bloc. The airline labeled the situation ‘unacceptable,’ with passengers facing hours of wait times, including biometric checks and facial recognition scans, that left some overwhelmed.
System challenges spark passenger distress
Carol Boon, a 59-year-old from Staffordshire, recounted the ordeal of waiting for her flight to Gatwick. She described the scene as “very stressful,” with arguments breaking out and a traveler fainting while others vomited. Her group had been stranded for hours, unable to secure a gate number until just 90 minutes before departure. “Even if we were there five hours before, we weren’t told the gate number until about 90 mins before, so there was nothing we could have done,” she said. EasyJet representatives, she added, “left us to fend for ourselves,” calling the treatment “disgusting.”
“Even if we were there five hours before, we weren’t told the gate number until about 90 mins before, so there was nothing we could have done.”
Max Hume, 56, from Leeds, shared his frustration after spending over £1,800 to rebook a flight through Luxembourg. He criticized the airline’s offer of £19 and a Thursday departure, stating, “we would have had to pay £300.” Meanwhile, Joy Oliver, on holiday with her husband, described the border chaos as “absolute carnage,” forcing her to rebook a flight to Edinburgh. Her family now faces the task of retrieving two cars from Manchester Airport.
Operational disruptions and policy shifts
European airports and airlines have warned of significant operational challenges since the EES became fully operational on Friday. The system requires third-country nationals—such as Britons—to register biometric data, including facial scans and fingerprints, upon arrival and during departure. According to ACI Europe and A4E, waiting times during peak hours reached two to three hours, with one instance where no passengers arrived at the departure gate as it closed. Only 12 travelers showed up 90 minutes later.
Until last week, border authorities could halt the EES entirely if delays became excessive. Now, only partial suspensions are allowed, prompting industry groups to demand more flexibility ahead of summer travel. Adam Hoijard, from Wirral, shared his family’s experience, saying they arrived three hours early only to wait for hours. “How much time can you leave to wait in a queue and be told to wait?” he questioned, adding that his five-year-old son “was lying in bed crying” after the ordeal.
“It was just atrocious to be blamed for not turning up early enough.”
EasyJet apologized for the delays, stating the issues were “outside of our control.” The airline offered free flight transfers to affected customers but acknowledged the strain on passengers. Laura Featonby, owner of Laura’s Travel Village in Sale, noted some airlines had delayed departures to mitigate the impact, though the system’s rollout has tested even the most prepared travelers.
