Italy and Portugal are poised to become the next countries to abandon controversial EU airport border checks for British holidaymakers, amid mounting frustration over the malfunctioning Entry/Exit System (EES). The system, which requires travellers from non-EU countries including the UK to provide fingerprints and a photograph upon arrival in the Schengen Area, has been plagued by long queues and technical issues.
Greece Leads the Revolt
Greece recently suspended the EES rules for UK tourists until September, after huge queues caused significant delays at its airports. Portugal has also been waiving the checks when lines become excessively long. According to travel expert Seamus McCauley of Holiday Extras, it now "seems certain" that Italy and Portugal will follow suit, potentially triggering a domino effect across the EU.
McCauley told the Mail: "British tourists are worth €3.5 billion a year to the Greek economy and it has rightly decided it will not jeopardise that because EES is not working properly." He added that Spain, France, and Croatia could also abandon the system to protect their tourism industries.
Ryanair Tightens Check-In Rules
In response to the delays, Ryanair is introducing a new policy from November 10, requiring passengers to check in or drop bags at least 60 minutes before departure, up from the current 40 minutes. The airline warns that those who fail to comply "may be denied boarding without refund."
The EES rollout has been described as an "utter fiasco" by industry insiders, with many predicting the system could collapse entirely if more countries abandon it.
