Ryanair has threatened to cancel flights to a popular EU country if border control delays do not improve, as the EU’s new Entry Exit System (EES) causes waits of up to 40 minutes at its airport
The Ryanair subsidiary has threatened to reduce flights to Malta(Image: Nicholas Ahonen via Getty Images)
Ryanair has threatened to cancel flights to a beloved European hotspot unless lengthy queue delays are brought under control.
David O’Brien, CEO of Ryanair’s Malta subsidiary Malta Air, has put the government on notice that the airline could divert capacity away from Malta to rival Mediterranean destinations if border check hold-ups at the airport fail to improve.
“If we find ourselves with significant congestion and delay, we’d have to redirect capacity away from Malta to other destinations and that’s not something we’d like to do,” he told the Times of Malta.
The EU’s new entry/exit system (EES) has triggered significant delays at a string of busy airports, with passengers in Malta facing waits of up to 40 minutes.
Have you been caught up in EES delays? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
READ MORE: Ten airlines add extra charges as jet fuel crisis gets worseREAD MORE: What the Iran War fuel crisis actually means for your holiday prices
The problem affects all non-EU travellers, with passengers from the UK – Malta’s biggest market – bearing the brunt of the disruption.
“Europe is utterly unprepared in a general sense. We hope Malta is prepared. We haven’t reached summer peak yet,” Mr O’Brien warned.
David Curmi, executive chairman of national carrier KM Malta, also voiced his concerns to the Times of Malta over mounting delays.
“We are unable to wait for passengers to board our aircraft. Passenger compensation regulations state that we have to compensate all passengers, including those who arrive late because of this system,” he said.
Both aviation chiefs have called for the system to be suspended to prevent delays and passengers missing their flights during the peak summer period.
It was announced yesterday that Greece has suspended EU fingerprint and facial scans for British holidaymakers. The country has chosen to abandon the new biometric security measures amid fears about queue chaos spreading across the continent. Queues have been hitting the country, with four-hour waits reported in many destinations, including Greece.
Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, emphasised that the decision would “ensure a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece” and would “significantly reduce waiting times” while easing congestion at airports.
A total of 122 passengers were reportedly prevented from boarding the flight from Milan Linate to Manchester on Sunday due to delays at passport desks triggered by the roll-out of the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES). The 11am departure was delayed for 59 minutes before taking off with the bulk of seats vacant.
READ MORE: Virgin Atlantic launches new 13-hour flights to South Korea – what it’s like onboardREAD MORE: Mum misses £1,400 TUI holiday after making simple battery mistake
Under the EES, travellers are required to register their biometric information, which involves having their fingerprints scanned and photograph captured.
They must also respond to questions about their visit, such as whether they have accommodation arranged, sufficient funds for their trip and a return ticket.
All children must register, though under-12s are exempt from fingerprinting. EES is free for travellers.
Prior to its launch earlier this year, the Home Office warned travellers to anticipate “longer wait times at border control”, while Advantage Travel Partnership advised visitors to southern Europe to “allocate four hours for navigating the new system”.
The system is designed to strengthen border security by reducing illegal migration and identifying visitors who overstay. Once registered, travellers won’t need to repeat the process for three years. Any future border crossing during that timeframe will require verification of an individual’s fingerprints and photograph, which is anticipated to be faster than the initial registration.
Ryanair has been contacted for further comment.