Arrive three hours before flight home, airline boss tells UK holidaymakers
British holidaymakers should arrive at European airports three hours before their flight home departs due to lengthy queues caused by new border checks, the UK boss of budget airline Wizz Air has warned. Yvonne Moynihan told the BBC the long delays getting through passport contr
British holidaymakers should arrive at European airports three hours before their flight home departs due to lengthy queues caused by new border checks, the UK boss of budget airline Wizz Air has warned.
Yvonne Moynihan told the BBC the long delays getting through passport control at some European airports had caused some passengers to miss return or connecting flights.
Airports said queues were worsening under the Entry Exit System (EES) which requires travellers to register fingerprints.
But a European Commission spokesperson said EES was working well at "almost all border crossing points".
ACI Europe, a trade body for airports, told the BBC that passengers should arrive at airports according to the time set out by their airline.
The EES requires travellers from outside the EU to register biometric information when entering many European countries, which is then checked when they leave.
Since October, almost 80 million entries and exits have been registered, with 35,000 refusals of entry recorded.
From 10 April, it is meant to be fully in use at borders of the Schengen free movement zone, including airports.

