EasyJet warns ‘you’ll miss your flight’ in pressing passenger queuing replace
EasyJet has issued a warning to passengers about missing flights as new EU EES passport control checks cause lengthy queues at airports across Europe
Passengers have been warned they might ‘miss their flights’ (stock)
Easyjet has issued a fresh warning to passengers online, stating: “You will not be able to board and will miss your flight”. The carrier clarified everything in a recent social media response to a traveller who sought advice about their forthcoming journey.
This follows EasyJet publishing an “important update” on its website last week, warning passengers that lengthy queues are anticipated due to new border controls. It stated: “Airports across Europe may experience longer queues at passport control while the new European Entry/Exit System (EES) border checks are being completed.”
It continued: “This will mean you may need to have your biometrics taken, including your face and fingerprints scanned.” From spring 2026, visitors from outside the EU, including those from the UK, will be required to register their fingerprints and have photographs taken.
The fresh regulation could lead to extensive waiting periods, potentially lasting up to two to three hours at major airports. One traveller contacted EasyJet after spending an hour in a passport control queue, which threatened to make them late for their departure gate.
On X, a user called KezOsman wrote: “EasyJet, we have 20 mins left until our flight from Palermo to London takes off, been in finger print queue for an hour now and moved three steps. They let LOADS of BA people through before us who are leaving 10 mins before our flight, and now we’re even more delayed. What will happen?”
In response, a member of the customer service team named Thando, on 8 April, stated: “Hi Kez, thank you for reaching out. Please note that the boarding gate closes a minute before departure. After it closes, you will not be able to board and will miss your flight.”
Passengers who realise they’re running late to their boarding gate should immediately inform their airline via their app, email, or phone call. Passengers can also seek assistance from airport staff, as some airports offer electric cars or allow passengers with tight connections or imminent departures to jump the queue.
It’s recommended that passengers arrive at the airport well in advance to accommodate any unforeseen delays at security or passport control. A spokesperson for ABTA, the association of travel agents and tour operators, advises: “We’re advising passengers to go straight to passport control as soon as you have gone through check-in and security; that way you get the EES checks out of the way as early as possible.
“We’re also advising passengers to follow their transport provider’s advice on when to arrive at airports/ports etc. If flying, the usual rule is to arrive at the airport for a flight from Europe at least two hours before, so we’d encourage people to apply that as a minimum, but to also check with their airline and airport.”
Passengers are encouraged to remain patient as the new system is implemented. EasyJet suggests:
The European Union’s new EES launched on October 12, 2025. It represents a fresh digital border system that has altered requirements for British citizens journeying to the Schengen zone EES checks are being rolled out gradually for non-EU and UK travellers, with complete implementation anticipated by April 2026.
Should you be heading to a Schengen nation for a brief visit using a UK passport, you’ll need to register your biometric information, including fingerprints and a photograph, when you arrive. No preparation is required before reaching the border, and EES registration comes at no charge.
A statement on Gov.uk explains: “After it is fully implemented, EES registration will replace the current system of manually stamping passports when visitors arrive in the EU, but during the phased implementation, border points will also stamp passports. EES may take each passenger a few extra minutes to complete so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border once the system starts.”
