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PASSENGERS AROUND EUROPE are facing huge delays this summer because of a newly-tightened EU regulation on border checks, according to a number of airlines.
Thousands of flights in Europe recently had to be delayed because EU border controls are “significantly understaffed” to comply with tightened immigration checks, Airlines for Europe (A4E) has said.
A4E is a trade association of the European airlines created in January 2016, consisting of Ryanair, easyJet, Air France, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Icelandair, among others.
A new EU regulation was implemented in March of this year which outlines the reinforcement of checks against relevant databases at external borders.
A4E has said this has led to airports in Spain, France, Italy, Belgium and Portugal facing immigration queues of up to four hours, leading some passengers to miss their flights.
The association is urging member states to take action to reduce these delays.
“During this busy summer travel season, airline travellers have become victims of the disproportionate impact that the implementation of a new EU Regulation is having on the flow of traffic at European airports,” it said in a statement.
Managing director of A4E Thomas Reynaert said that member states should take necessary measures to prevent such disruptions and deploy appropriate staff and resources in sufficient numbers to carry out the requested checks.
“Especially during the peak season, travellers face lines and can’t get on their flights,” Reynaert said.
At some airports, flight delays have increased by 300% compared to last year — member states must take the responsibility for this.
He said the association has raised the issue with the European Commission.
Have you experienced queues at airports? If so, let us know in the comments.
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Holidayed in Ireland this year. Couldn’t face the expense and hassle of a trip abroad. Amazing scenery and nightlife. Lot to be said for it. Didn’t get stuck in an airport. My bags didn’t get lost. Nobody forgot their passport. Didn’t spend half the holiday travelling. Didn’t have to use a phrase book to converse with the staff of hostelries. Didn’t have to worry about terrorists. Didn’t have to get any jabs.
@Sean: hhmmm sounds like me … not in Ireland! Maybe your personal planning should be reviewed?
@Sean: I’d rather be organised, check my travel documents before I leave the house, have my passport, check in at least 2.5 hours before my flight, relax at the airport bar, fly for a couple of hours, arrive at a nice hotel on the Algarve for 20 nights, dine out very reasonably every night, hire a car and explore the Algarve region and take in the spectacular scenery, choose from hundreds of beaches to relax on, have cocktails by the hotel pool, massages at the spa, wander around the marina in the evening, stop for drinks and people watch, go for dinner all the while basking in the warm Portugal summer weather. Just can’t beat it.
@Ian Walsh: that should be 10 nights
@Ian Walsh: Well that sounds like fun too. I might do that next year. Or maybe Italy. Travelling with kids is more stressful though – no chance of relaxing over a few drinks in an airport bar or people watching. Don’t overlook what Ireland has to offer was really my point but foreign hols are cool too.
Ian, I like your style.
@Ian Walsh: sitting in Algarve right now. Just doing and have done all you suggested and more. Family meal for 6, Steak Tourneado for 3, fish for other 3, wine, beer and water. €123.00
Delish…
@Ian Walsh: my exact holiday plans to Lagos, Algarve even the car hire!! Can’t wait!!!
@Sean: Absolutely! Ireland is stunning and I would never overlook our own country. The Supervalu deals are great, did 3 nights in Killarney B&B and 1 evening meal for €119pp and did Kilkenny last month for 2 nights B&B and and dinner for €109pp. Some good value in Ireland but nothing beats going abroad for sun, sea and relaxation. The value abroad is far better than here too.
@Sean: i did the same!! Less stress
@Anna Long: Lagos is beautiful! Recommend Casa do Pintor restaurant, fantastic! Enjoy your holiday
@Sean: I’m currently in Marina Di Venezia near Venice it’s a campsite where you can get lodges,houses or tents. Expensive but very very good
@Sean: Didn’t get the guaranteed sunshine, though to be fair it’s not a bad Summer. Didn’t get those lovely warm, balmy evenings, didn’t get food and drink at a fraction of the price you are used to paying, didn’t get to swim in the outdoor pool (that’s just an assumption
Mad with all of this increased security at airports, when ferry loads of undocumented migrants arrive freely into Europe from the med every day. Priorities much?
@Paul Cunningham: The reason you know about most of the migrants in the trucks is they get caught.
They’re also harmless and much easier to catch. Whereas the guy in the business suit who’s coming into the country to be the handler of a cell that’s going to plant a bomb on an early morning DART takes a bit more savvy to catch, the casual questions they’re asking him apparently non-nonchalantly are really a subtle interview. THey might have his name or face or prints sent to a database that tells them this guy is being watched by GCHQ for frequently visiting a website that’s an ISIS propaganda outlet, don’t admit. I’d rather them watching for him than the Syrian family who at worst breaks the rules by their dad working cash in hand on a building site.
Breezed through cork airport from bag drop to through security , 7 minutes …. Then 2 hours supping chieftain !!!! Heavenly
Prefer to be late than never arrive.
Bordeaux airport. my native city. As bad as an airport can be. 2 security lanes fornthe whole terminal. Dublin is not the worsed. At the two security checkpoints you have about 7 scanners!
Marrakesh airport! You can spend up to 2 hours in line waiting to clear customs on arrival. same on departure!
@oliverjumelle: have been in both airports. It’s slow enough alright as you arrive in Bordeaux but wow the city is worth waiting for. Marrakech airport is stunning! The wait is bad but conversely the wait in agadir is very short. In relation to queues in airports this summer anyone know what extra precautions are being put in place?. Are we down to passing through in underwear at this point?
Been to the USA his year, Spain and Poland twice. Poland (Wroclaw and Katowice airports) is a disaster for getting through. THeir military do passport checks and the jumped fu(Kers on regular baggage check would test the patience of Solomon.
@Hurt Stoogie: flew into gdansk and out of krakow in the last two weeks no issues whatsoever. Two pendolino trains to krakow were bliss compared to the thought of an Internal flight and significantly cheaper
@ed w: been to krakow airport loads of times too. Hate it. Too small for the amount of people passing through it now. Heading there again in October.
Got to watch out for those Hidus, Daoists, Jews, Shintoists.
@50 Pence: Haha! Ye…
“This summer” its nearly over
DÉANFAIMID EORPACH SÁBHÁILTE UAIR AMHÁIN EILE!
@TheJournalAsGaeilge: Ta suil agam
Passed through Zurich Airport today en route to Dublin, security as rigourous as always, but courteous, friendly and just did the job. Made my airport experience bearsble. Never had the feeling I was a terrorist , not like some agressive unfriendly security at other airports..
its only supposed to apply to non eu citizens and also to eu citizens leaving and entering Europe but strangely Irish and uk citizens are deemed to be not in Europe because we are outside the Schengen area which is basically mainland Europe so technically Irish citizens are been discriminated against by our European officials
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