The delays are as a result of new border system being rolled out throughout Europe.
Travellers might face delays of as much as six hours in the course of the peak season (Picture: Getty)
Travellers heading to European locations, together with Spain, Italy and France, have been warned of attainable delays at airports and passport management. The setbacks stem from the implementation of a brand new biometric border system throughout the European Union, with international locations struggling to adapt to the rollout.
The European Entry/Exit System (ESS) will probably be changing the standard passport stamp for non-EU guests, together with British holidaymakers. It has been slowly applied throughout international locations since October 2025, and at the moment, a 3rd of EU nations use the system.
Nonetheless, issues akin to staffing shortages, kiosk congestion, and terminal format points at main airports are mentioned to be inflicting important delays of as much as six hours for some travellers, prompting the European Fee to discreetly push again the complete implementation date from April 2026 to September 2026, experiences the Mirror.
The BBC has reported {that a} spokesperson for Geneva Airport has acknowledged that implementing the EES has posed a “main problem for Swiss customs and Geneva Airport,” which is experiencing three-hour delays.
There additionally seems to be delays throughout the Canary Islands, with Olivier Jankovec, the director normal of Airports Council Worldwide Europe, stating that border management processing instances have surged 4 to 5 instances longer beneath the ESS, with individuals ready as much as two hours.
Mr Jankovec claims the delays are all the way down to inadequate staffing and defective gear, and warns that if enhancements aren’t made, delays of as much as six hours might happen in the course of the peak summer time months.
Markus Lammert, European Fee spokesperson for Inner Affairs, nonetheless, claims that they system had functioned “largely with out points”.
The Affiliation of British Journey Brokers (ABTA) highlighted that border officers weren’t absolutely utilising their powers to reduce checks when required. The organisation urged authorities to develop higher contingency methods for peak durations and guarantee frontline personnel correctly perceive laws and their flexibility to implement them.
An ABTA spokesperson defined: “The underuse of the measures has meant that there have been events the place passengers have unnecessarily been caught up in prolonged delays going via passport management, which might have a knock-on influence for his or her onward journey.
“Below the contingency measures, border authorities are allowed to face down the system, or restrict the quantity or extent of checks, to keep away from important disruption and enormous queues.”
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This growth follows the House Workplace’s launch of steering for the 1.26 million Brits who at the moment maintain twin citizenship. Beginning February 25, 2026, twin British nationals should current both a legitimate British passport or a Certificates of Entitlement when getting into the UK.
The House Workplace cautioned that carriers could be verifying passengers maintain acceptable documentation.
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