An airline boss has called out the main holiday hotspots facing severe summer delays as Europe’s ‘messy’ new border checks leave passengers stranded
Holidaymakers jetting off for a sunny getaway are being warned to prepare for potential airport gridlock before reaching their sun loungers. The head of a major budget airline has blown the whistle on key European destinations suffering serious airport bottlenecks following the introduction of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES).
Speaking via TTG Media, easyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis delivered a stark assessment of the new border framework, labelling the EU’s EES “a bit of a mess”.
Among the main trouble spots highlighted are the Canary Islands, including popular tourist haunts such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and La Palma.
It isn’t just Spanish islands experiencing friction. Jarvis pointed to major bottlenecks at Milan Linate Airport in Italy, where administrative pile-ups recently left stranded passengers watching their flights depart without them.
Airline operational limits mean planes cannot hold at the gate indefinitely without jeopardising take-off slots or causing flight crews to exceed legal duty hours. In the Milan incident, aircraft waited an extra hour on the tarmac before being forced to push back.
Taking aim at European officials over the rollout, Jarvis said: “The EU had a very long time to prepare for something they have not prepared very well.”
The news isn’t entirely grim across the continent. Certain destinations, including popular Greek islands, have adapted well to the updated border clearance procedures, keeping passenger traffic moving.
To avoid getting caught out by long passport queues, travellers are being advised to arrive at departure terminals significantly earlier than usual.
For passengers who do miss their departure due to passport control backlogs, easyJet confirmed it will rebook affected customers onto a subsequent flight at no extra charge.
Looking toward the future, Jarvis remains hopeful about the long-term benefits once the initial teething issues subside, though he is advocating for an extended grace period through the winter months.
He said: “It should be a good thing when everyone has been registered because they will be able to use e-gates, but until then it is clunky.”