Forget two hours early – Britons are being warned they may need to arrive FOUR HOURS before flying this summer as Europe’s new border checks cause airport chaos.
The advice comes after passengers faced lengthy queues, missed flights and hours of delays at some European airports following the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES).
Experts say the biggest risk could come on the journey home, when British travellers must complete new exit checks before reaching their gates.
Under the new system, non-EU travellers must provide fingerprints and a facial image at EU borders.
Since its launch on April 10, the system has caused lengthy queues at border control, with some passengers even missing flights.
And experts have warned an ultra-early arrival could be the key to skipping the airport chaos.
How early do you arrive at the airport? Could four hours become the new normal?
Anton Radchenko, aviation expert and founder at AirAdvisor, said: ‘Arriving four hours early is not a sensible blanket rule for every flight, but at some European airports this summer it is no longer a ridiculous precaution.
‘The greater risk is on the flight home, when British passengers must pass through the new exit checks at the European airport before reaching their gate.
‘At airports where serious queues have already been reported, or where several UK-bound flights depart close together, allowing three to four hours may be prudent.’
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, said last year of the airports with the new EES rules in place: ‘The concern will be, when you have flights arriving at one of these airports, at the same time, it’s already a bottleneck – this is going to add even more of an issue.
‘So our advice is actually to make sure, where possible, you’re leaving yourself between three and four hours from the point of entry.’
Border police across Europe have also encouraged Brits to arrive three to four hours early for flights during the summer holidays.
Cristian Sternativo, a border officer at Milan Malpensa Airport, told The i that British passengers visiting Milan, for instance, should ‘arrive at the airport at least three to four hours early for international flights’ during the peak months.
But not everyone is convinced.
Paul Charles, founder and CEO of the PC Agency, told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s madness to suggest four-hour check-ins. Firstly many airlines don’t open their check-in desks that early, especially for early morning flights. So passengers would be hanging around at the airport for no reason.
‘Secondly, if every long-haul passenger arrived four hours early then the airports would have nowhere to put so many passengers. They would end up queueing outside terminals, not ideal if there is bad or hot weather.
‘It would be much better to put resources into more efficient processing so that two-hour check-in remains the norm.’
Meanwhile, Helena Sheizon, immigration director at Kadmos Immigration, said: ‘Telling every traveller to arrive four hours early is probably an overcorrection. The reality is that waiting times will vary significantly depending on the airport, destination and how familiar staff and passengers have become with the new Entry/Exit System – it’s also one of the airports busiest times.
‘For most travellers, the bigger risk isn’t the technology itself, it’s arriving at the airport unaware that they’ll need to complete additional border checks for the first time. Registering biometric information inevitably takes longer than a simple passport stamp, particularly during busy holiday periods.
‘Rather than focusing on a blanket four-hour rule, passengers should check the advice issued by both their airline and departure airport, allow extra time if travelling through major hubs, and make sure they’re familiar with the new requirements before they travel. A little preparation is likely to save far more time than simply turning up hours earlier without knowing what to expect.
‘As the system beds in, queues should become more predictable, but this summer there is still likely to be some inconsistency while airports, border authorities and travellers all adjust to the new process.’
Britons have been encouraged to ensure they have plenty of time at the airport
Earlier this year, British holidaymakers were told to arrive at European airports three hours before their flight home amid queue chaos caused by new EU border checks.
Wizz Air boss Yvonne Moynihan told Brits they should allow more time than usual ahead of their flights, as well as several hours for connections, bring water with them and charge their phones.
Ms Moynihan said her airline is advising British travellers to allow an extra hour on top of the already-advised arrival time of two hours early.
She told the BBC that while many places have ‘seamless’ travel, there have been lengthy delays around popular holiday hotspots.
‘When you land in the destination airport, there might be queues, so you should bring a portable charger or water,’ she said.
The time it takes Britons to clear passport control has tripled at some European airports since the introduction of the EU’s new EES, it has recently emerged – leading to the new early arrival guidance.
It comes after earlier this year airline passengers were left vomiting and passing out after becoming stranded in Milan amid 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 travellers as the new EU border rules came into force.
The airline said the situation was ‘outside of our control’ and issues with the EU’s new EES had caused the delays, adding that the hold-ups were ‘unacceptable’.
With longer queues, some passengers have even reported missing flights
The Daily Mail understands easyJet delayed the Milan Linate flight by 52 minutes to allow customers extra time, but with the crew approaching the end of their safety-regulated working hours, the flight was forced to depart half empty.
It’s not the only time passengers have missed a flight as a result of chaotic airport queues.
More British airline passengers were recently left behind in Milan after their flight departed without them as a result of EES delays.
The Ryanair flight from Milan Bergamo to Manchester took off on April 16 without a number of its passengers on board.
Adam Hassanjee, 18, from Bolton – who was one of those stranded – told BBC News: ‘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.
Plus, a study has revealed the European holiday hotspots where travellers are most likely to face lengthy flight delays, with some airports seeing more than one in ten services delayed by over an hour.
Popular destinations in Spain, Greece and Italy dominate the list, raising the prospect of frustrating waits before many holidaymakers have even reached the beach.
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