EasyJet boss urges EU airports to ease ‘unacceptable’ passport queues

The boss of budget carrier easyJet is urging European member states to be more flexible and avoid long airport queues caused by the new Entry-Exit System (EES).

 

Kenton Jarvis, easyJet chief executive, was speaking ahead of the long bank holiday weekend in the UK – the first bank holiday since the EES biometric border checks were fully introduced, replacing the manual stamping of passports.

 

He said: “We are in correspondence with all the European member states, encouraging them to use the flexibility they have already been given by the EC, because it is unacceptable if customers are made to wait in border queues, because, frankly, they have had since 2017 to prepare.

 

“It is really inexcusable. They have got the means to avoid allowing the queues to overrun by opening up the passport desks.

 

“It is completely in the gift of the European member states to smooth this through.”

 

He pointed to the example of Greece which suspended biometric border checks for UK passport holders last month.

 

“I would encourage every other member state to just monitor the queues…run the EES programme midweek [or] quieter periods – but if you’re heading for a Saturday at the start of a bank holiday or May half term, clearly use common sense and use the flexibility given to you,” he said.       

 

His call came as Iata joined Italy’s main airport and airline associations in calling for action at European level to enable the EES regulatory framework to be more flexible and “better aligned with airports’ operational realities”.

 

A blog from the airline trade body said: “There have been numerous instances of long lines, especially in tourist destinations, particularly those with large numbers of British visitors. This includes Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Italy.

 

“An unfortunate example was an EasyJet flight from Linate Milan in April which had to leave more than 100 passengers behind because they had not got through passport control in time.”

 

Iata noted that the air transport industry “is not requesting a revision of the EES, but rather the need to reflect on how the regulatory framework translates into the day‑to‑day management of passenger flows at airports”. 

 

It described the functioning of e-gates as being a “particularly problematic aspect” as they are key tools for the digitalization of border controls, but in some cases are slowed down or blocked.

 

“Moreover, the instruments currently provided under the regulatory framework do not offer sufficient margins to manage situations of high congestion,” Iata added. 

 

“Hence the request, set out in the joint note, to consider greater flexibility at European level in the application of the EES, including the possibility for temporary suspensions if facing critical operational conditions.

 

“In addition to pointing out priorities for the successful implementation of EES, the industry has offered practical help: sharing operational observations and data in the interest of the effective management of passenger flows and the overall quality of service.”

 

Biometric registration of non-EU citizens, including UK passport holders, became mandatory from April 10 on entry to Schengen Area states of the EU in line with full EES implementation.

 

The EC said only temporary suspensions of the process for up to six hours at a time are allowed to alleviate severe delays and overcrowding.

 

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