Skip to main content
Arrive Three Hours Early for EU Flights This Summer, Warns Wizz Air
General

Arrive Three Hours Early for EU Flights This Summer, Warns Wizz Air

The UK boss of Wizz Air has warned British holidaymakers to arrive three hours before their return flights home after new EU biometric border checks caused queues of up to 3.5 hours at European airports, with some passengers missing flights entirely.

By Ratio Report Editorial 4 min read Via BBC News
Reviewed ·

Key takeaway

If you're flying home from the EU this summer, add an extra hour to your usual airport arrival time — passport control queues are significantly longer than normal.

  • EU Entry Exit System (EES) requires non-EU travellers to register biometric data, adding up to 3.5 hours to passport control times
  • ACI Europe surveyed 45 airports across 20 EU states — queues are worsening as summer travel peaks
  • Greece and France have both temporarily suspended EES checks to manage disruption, but this is not guaranteed everywhere

What happened

Yvonne Moynihan, managing director of Wizz Air UK, told the BBC that new EU border checks have caused passengers to miss return and connecting flights. The Entry Exit System (EES), which became fully operational on 10 April 2026, requires all non-EU travellers — including British citizens post-Brexit — to register fingerprints and facial biometrics when entering and exiting the Schengen Area.

ACI Europe, the trade body representing European airports, surveyed 45 airports across 20 EU states on 26 May. It found queues of up to 3.5 hours at peak times and warned the situation will deteriorate further as summer travel volumes increase. Processing times at affected airports have risen by up to 70 per cent since EES was introduced.

What this means for you

If you're heading to Europe this summer — whether for a festival, a cheap Ryanair trip or a family holiday — the advice is straightforward: arrive at the airport three hours before your return flight, not the usual two. The extra time is needed for the outbound biometric registration, and again on the way home when EES data is verified before you board.

Moynihan noted the impact is uneven — her own trip to Mallorca over half-term had no queues — but hotspots including Spain, Portugal and France have seen the worst delays. Airports are not consistently suspending checks, so you can't rely on a queue-free experience. Greece has suspended EES checks for British travellers to protect its tourism season, but no other country has made a blanket commitment.

The practical tips from Moynihan: bring a portable charger and water for the queue, and if you have a connecting flight, build in extra buffer time or contact your airline about your options.

Will travel insurance cover a missed flight due to EES delays?

This is the question most travellers haven't thought about yet. Standard travel insurance policies vary significantly on whether passport control delays count as a covered reason for missing a flight — most were written before EES existed.

Check your policy wording for 'missed departure' cover and whether it includes delays caused by border control procedures. Some policies cover it; many don't. If you're booking travel this summer, it's worth confirming this specifically before you go rather than finding out at the gate.

Source

BBC News

Read original article (opens in new tab)

This article is based on reporting from BBC News. Ratio Report provides context and analysis for UK students and young adults.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to arrive 3 hours early for all EU flights +
Wizz Air is advising three hours before your return flight specifically, because EES biometric checks happen on exit as well as entry. For the outbound flight from the UK you should be fine with the usual two hours. The extra hour is mainly needed at European airports on your way home, particularly at busy Spanish, Portuguese and French airports.
What is the EU entry exit system EES +
The EES is a new EU digital border system that replaced ink passport stamps. It requires non-EU travellers — including British citizens — to register fingerprints and a facial biometric when entering the Schengen Area. It became fully operational in April 2026. The idea is to speed up border checks long-term, but the rollout has caused significant queues in the short term.
Will EES delays affect my holiday to Greece or Spain +
Spain and Portugal have been among the worst-affected countries for queues. Greece has suspended EES checks for British travellers for the summer to protect its tourism season, so delays there should be minimal. France suspended checks over a bank holiday weekend but has not made a blanket suspension. Check your destination's current status before travelling as the situation is changing weekly.
Can I claim compensation if EES makes me miss my flight +
Airline compensation rules under UK261 generally don't cover missed flights caused by factors outside the airline's control, which includes passport control delays. Your best option is travel insurance with missed departure cover — but check the policy wording specifically covers border control delays, as many were written before EES existed.
Does EES affect flights within Europe +
No. EES only applies when you cross the external border of the Schengen Area — entering or leaving EU countries from outside. Flights between EU countries or within the Schengen zone don't involve EES checks. It only affects British travellers at the point of entering and leaving Europe.
travel eu travel ees passport control summer holidays flights students young adults

Was this helpful?

More General news

All General →