EES delays leaving holiday destinations

R0bbieS

Having just read about 100 Easyjet passengers left stranded because of EES delays leaving Milan airport I wondered if the holiday companies are making any efforts to ensure passengers get to the airports earlier than usual. We will be going to the Algarve shortly and are very concerned that the usual timescales for pick-up at the resort will not be sufficient.

I phoned Jet2 to ask but they were less than helpful.

TELLIT01

Little consolation, but if the tour operator is providing the transport to get you to the airport, and that doesn't allow enough time to get through the security systems, they will still be responsible for getting you home.

la531983

Bigger problem is you can get to the airport as early as you like. Lots of airlines only open check-in desks two hours before the flight leaves, as they generally use third party contractors in non-base airports and this is done to reduce costs.

Jet2 are more likely to "wait" than the likes of Easyjet and Ryanair, though. Indeed I have heard tales of this happening, especially in mainland Europe where crew wont run out of hours by doing so.

If Faro is still the same as it was in 2022 the passport check on the way out is actually before the departures lounge as they have a split departure hall - once you go through security you either then go to the Schengen or the Non-Schengen one and the passport check is done before you even hit Burger King etc, this is a better departures setup than some airports (less temptation to hang around the shops and only then go and get your passport stamped out, also some airports wont even let you through until the gate is announced an hour before). But this was based on my only visit there 4 years ago and it may have changed since (others will know better)

borders

Lanzarote airport in February. Flight home was two hours late leaving because of EES. It was the terminals at the gates that caused the problem. People were there in time, through security and joining the queue when the departure gate was announced. Queue took two hours. Only four terminals for two gates. Very slow and badly organised.

Hopefully running better now.

flaneurs_lobster

The Milan airport incident has me puzzled. Is there a report that actually describes what the actual delay was caused by?

I thought that you registered with EES first-use on arrival (present passport, face, fingerprints, computer says "Yes") and thereafter (for 3 years?) you just need to use the automated gates much like those in use at UK entry.

Was the Milan delay just a general system malfunction or specific to EES for non-EU travellers?

In other words, had I been travelling on my Irish passport would it have made any difference?

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81960774#Comment_81960774

From what I have read no staff would let any passenger through until gate had been called. So assume Milan operates one departure lounge with the passport check into a sterile area (unlike Faro).

There are claims people lied about what flight they were on to get through as they were worried about missing the flight.

daveyjp

From what I have picked up the Milan Airport issue was caused by Milan airport border control.

There were three flights to the UK leaving at similar times. Manchester, Heathrow and Gatwick. 500ish passengers.

The gates were announced and all 500 went to the security area where you need to scan your passport to exit. Milan prioritised the London flights, Manchester passengers were asked to wait. Huge delays - no surprise as my exit scan from Palma a few weeks ago took 4 goes - Manchester crew running out of time so the flight had to leave. The 35ish passengers on the Manchester flight made it because they said they were on the London flights.

la531983

Found the link

Family spends £1,600 to get home after easyJet flight leaves without them due to EU entry-exit system chaos | The Independent

Sounds like a shambles by the airport. If all non-Schengen flights leave from one area and one area only, what is the point of not letting them through. At least Gran Canaria (as an example) have this right, last time I was there it is made perfectly clear which zone your flight is leaving from hours beforehand and you can get through no issue well before the number is assigned.

daveyjp

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81960798#Comment_81960798

I have not been to Milan, but I have been in airports where the non EU area is tiny, case in point Krakow where a flight to the US was delayed heavily.

There wasn't the space for 500-600 none EU passengers which needed to wait in the same area. It is also a consequence of Brexit as previously UK passengers would have been directed to the EU residents departure areas. Now we are none EU, but are travellers mainly to the EU, many European airports have had to provide new areas to deal with a huge increase in none EU passengers.

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81960828#Comment_81960828

Well yes fair points. Some airports like GC and Athens (in the satellite terminal anyway) do operate swing gates where they can make the non-Schengen area larger. Obviously not feasible at every airport.

flaneurs_lobster

Just heard the ubiquitous Simon Calder on BBCR4 commenting on the Milan issue, rather depressing - no-one appears to be taking any kind of responsibility, insurance companies are saying not a covered risk, Easyjet suggesting that the next flight that they can rebook onto is 4 days after the incident.

Suggestion that if the flight was part of a package then maybe some redress.

His suggestion, get yourself (and your family & luggage) to another airport and get EasyJet from there seems rather throw-away if EasyJet have no available CS (in person or remote).