NEW rules being rolled out across Europe are causing so much chaos at airports, that Brits are even missing their flights.
The new The Entry/Exit System (EES) has already been causing long wait times across Europe.
EES is replacing the need for a passport stamp by automatically checking when a person enters and exits an EU country.
Non-EU nationals – which includes Brits – are required to register their details like fingerprints, facial images and scan passports on their first visit to a Schengen area country.
But at Tenerife South, passengers say that only a handful of these EES machines are working with some rejecting fingerprints.
Passengers are even saying they’ve missed flights due to delays in getting through controls.
Some Brits are warning to give as much as three hours before a flight just in case.
One Brit wrote on social media: “The key is to arrive three hours early so at least you are in the front of the queue when problems start.”
Another added: “Love Tenerife but HATE the airport.”
Police have reportedly been called in to the South Airport on several occasions to calm the crowds of angry passengers.
With bad weather and storms hitting the Canary Islands, those who miss flights are having to sleep inside the airport overnight before catching another plane home.
On one particular day, around 100 passengers were stranded there and many were unable to find overnight accommodation, so stayed in the terminal.
Passengers are blaming lack of staff and proper organisation for the chaos, with computers not working.
“Passport control is a disaster,” posted another Brit. “One person for thousands of travellers.”
Only 20 per cent of the biometric machines are working and officials admitted to the Spanish media that there were “computer failures.”
The chaos has been going on for months and tourism chiefs and hoteliers say the island’s reputation is being hit, compounded by the bad weather.
Since last week, the Canary Islands, including Tenerife, have also been struck with flash flooding and snow as a result of Storm Therese.
Even without bad weather, many airports have experienced delays caused by the new travel requirement of EES registration.
Due to their small size, airports on the Canary Islands have seen reports of long queues.
Travel Reporter Alice Penwill said she waited in line at Lanzarote Airport for three hours after landing – just to get through to EES and passport control.
And matters could only get worse with Spanish airport staff preparing to strike during March and April.
Ground staff are planning to strike at 12 airports across the country – including Tenerife South.
Other airports that could be affected include Madrid-Barajas, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche, Barcelona-El Prat, Bilbao, Valencia and Bilbao.
And on the islands; Palma de Mallorca, Gran Canaria, Tenerife Norte, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Ibiza.
For anyone heading to Tenerife – here are the top tips from someone who has been travelling there for a decade.
And here’s more on the Spanish island that feels more like Mars and flights are just £35.