EES role out

NoodleDoodleMan

For information, which may be of interest to appropriate members - I read online that Alicante airport is drafting in extra police officers to manage non EU passports holders (Brits in other words) to reduce time at passport control.

This would be Policia Nacional as they have responsibility in this area - wasn't clear if it were simply to act as queue crowd control or as additional staff at EES kiosks and/or passport booths.

When we've passed through Malaga it's airport staff who manage the queues.

TELLIT01

We are flying to Heraklion in 3 weeks. At present Greece aren't using EES for British passport holders despite the EU saying they couldn't couldn't give special treatment to one country over others.

Hopefully it stays that way although there are no other non-EU arrivals due within an hour of our flight. Recent comments on social media said people had only seen 5 EES machines in arrivals. Heraklion is the 2nd busiest airport in Greece.

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82116919#Comment_82116919

Five!

Even Seville (not too many non-EU flights at all) had 14 or so!

TELLIT01

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82117229#Comment_82117229

Despite being the 2nd busiest airport in Greece, Heraklion airport is small. It only has about half a dozen baggage carousels and it's common to see 2 or 3 flights being unloaded onto the same one.

LillythePink

We've flown into and out of Malaga a couple of times this year. We haven't encountered queues or problems, but then with only hand luggage and being near the front, we are off and walking before most of the plane have even got their belongings together. This worked out quite well as daughter and BF were travelling with us and they turned up to the baggage reclaim just as I was taking their second case off which was lucky for all of us

When leaving, we have registered our passports on the machines and then gone via the e-gates, still haven't had fingerprints taken at all, so waiting for our first nightmare on that!

soolin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82118645#Comment_82118645

I think I must be making up for your lack of fingerprints- although I haven't used malaga. I've flown 8 times so far, had my photo and fingerprints taken on all of those occasions.

NoodleDoodleMan

From our experience of Malaga the queuing problem seems to occur when a large number of non EU flights (Brits in other words) land at AGP in close time proximity.

That prompted me to acquire an Irish passport - I went through the EU lane smoothly in April and Mrs NDM likewise relatively quickly via the non EU lane after doing the EES registration process. There were a large number of registration kiosks in operation and that undoubtedly helped the traffic flow.

I'm uncomfortable to learn from others experiences that non EU travellers are being expected to repeat EES registration whenever they arrive in the EU - it's meant to be a one off deal for 3 years.

When I passed through the EU lane at Malaga I asked the police officer manning the passport control booth if my wife could accompany me on future visits - he respond in the affirmative.

That remains to be seen - theory and practice appear to be different in practice.

The lasting benefits of Brexit 🙄

zagfles

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82119787#Comment_82119787

UK should join the EFTA, then UK and Ireland could be part of Schengen! Border free travel to the EU, like some other non EU countries eg Norway, Switzerland. Obviously it would annoy some Brexiteers which is another plus, even though it technically respects the referendum as it's not rejoining the EU.

NoodleDoodleMan

For citizen travel purposes Ireland has no need to join EFTA - otherwise sounds like a plan !!

zagfles

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82119866#Comment_82119866

I said UK should join EFTA not Ireland. Ireland are in the EU so no need join EFTA.

However UK joining the EFTA would mean that both Ireland and the UK could join Schengen. Ireland can't join Schengen currently due to the CTA between UK and Ireland and having an open border between UK and Ireland is essential for the GF agreement & peace process. So the only way Ireland could have true border free travel to the EU is if the UK joins Schengen which would likely mean we have to join the EFTA as well. Although of course we might not be allowed in.

In the meantime, Irish citizens can travel to the EU with less fuss than a UK citizen, but they still have to go through border control (just like we did when we were in the EU).