Ryanair summer season replace as planes ‘will not wait’ for some individuals

People need to give themselves enough time – or risk being left behind

With the EU’s new border checks threatening longer lines at passport control, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary says the airline won’t hold the gate for people who get stuck in the system – even if you’re already inside the terminal. The blunt warning comes as the European Entry/Exit System (EES) rolls out, requiring extra checks for some travellers entering the Schengen zone.

O’Leary’s message is simple – if you’re not at the gate by the time boarding ends, your plane could be taking off without you. On top of this, you should expect a bill to fix it.

On Simon Calder’s Telegraph podcast, O’Leary insisted Ryanair’s priority is getting away on time, not waiting for late arrivals held up at border control. He said: “We will not wait for anybody. If you’re stuck at an entry place, our priority is for the passengers at the boarding gate when boarding starts.

“If you’re not at the boarding gate when we finish boarding, the plane is going without you. What rights do you have on that?

“You don’t have any, which is regrettable. But we are not delaying our flights for people who are stuck in passport control queues. They have to show up at the airport earlier, but they have to get to the boarding gate, or else they are not flying.”

He also claimed the whole thing should be handled before you travel, not at the airport. He said: “We should be automating all this and taking it online.

“If you go to the US, the ESTA process, which is basically the same, it is all done online before you fly and the EES should be done the same way.” If you miss your flight, it can hurt. Ryanair treats border-control delays, including EES queues, as an “extraordinary circumstance” and therefore your responsibility, meaning you can’t rely on compensation.

In practical terms, you could lose what you paid for your ticket and then face a fixed “missed departure” charge to get moved to the next available flight. The airline’s fee is £100 per passenger — a painful add-on for couples and families who thought they’d bagged a bargain.

What is EES and will you deal with it this summer?

EES is the EU’s new Entry/Exit System for borders into the Schengen area, a free-movement zone covering 26 countries. It applies to non-EU citizens and requires first-time travellers to register fingerprints and have a photo taken on arrival, with the details checked again when they leave.

The extra steps can slow down passport control, especially when many people are registering for the first time. There have already been technical and administrative issues linked to long queues.

Once you’ve completed the process, your registration is valid for three years from the date your record is created, or until the passport you used expires (whichever comes first).