EES queues hit families on May half term getaways

This May half-term many families will be making the most of the school holidays by jetting off abroad. Thanks to short flight times and guaranteed sunshine, destinations across Europe including Spain, Portugal and Greece are all popular options for a week away. Yet travellers heading to Europe may be concerned about the new entry requirements set out by the European Union earlier this year. The EU’s Entry Exit System (EES) launched on April 10 and while it’s designed to be a more efficient replacement for

passport stamping, more often that not the EES has resulted in long queues for tourists at passport control. Under the EES third-country nationals – which includes Brits – are required to submit their biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs at the border which will then create a digital record. This will then be valid for three years and will replace passport stamping. Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter Once the initial record is created, in

theory every subsequent crossing of the EU border will only require one set of data, usually a photograph for convenience. Across participating countries – all those in the Schengen Area – specialist kiosks have been rolled out at airports and ports to enable the processing to take place. However, the EES rollout has been far from smooth. In many cases the extra checks have proved time-consuming with officials struggling to process people quick enough, while some airports have battled technical issues. It has even resulted

in some passengers missing their flights, including 100 Manchester-bound travellers who were left stranded in Milan in April. Some holiday hotspots have insisted they will lift the EES when necessary, although they are facing backlash from Brussels. The EU does allow member states to temporarily lift the EES for up to six hours if wait times become excessive. For lots of Brits, May half term will mark the first time they are travelling to the EU since the rollout of the EES, especially those with

children who might be wondering how the new system will work. The EES applies to people of all ages, but only adults and children aged 12 and over will need to provide both fingerprints and facial photos. Those with younger children will attend a manned kiosk to undergo the process, so don’t worry about using the machines if you have a sleepy baby or toddler in tow. British travellers will face the EES both when they arrive at their destination and when they’re due to

depart. Make sure you get to your gate in plenty of time as at European airports passport control usually takes place here, it can be easy to get caught up shopping in duty free but you may find yourself stuck in a longer wait if you do. You should make sure you arrive at the airport in plenty of time and many experts advise arriving at the airport three hours early, although be aware that often bag-drop doesn’t open until two hours before if you

have luggage which needs checking in. Make sure you have any necessities with you such as medication and a portable charge in case you do get stuck in a long queue. Drinks and snacks can be a good idea too. If you are travelling with kids, bringing along something to distract them like their favourite toy can help if you do get stuck waiting for a long time. For more of today’s top stories, click here.

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