Brits given 'three hour' airport arrival warning amid border check delays

Britain’s travellers are facing longer waits at European airports as biometric checks under the EU's Entry/Exit System become fully active. Wizz Air chief executive Yvonne Moynihan urged passengers to arrive three hours before departure because additional border checks can extend processing times. The EES replaces passport stamps with digital registration and biometric verification for non-EU nationals at entry and exit points, rolled out across Europe since October and fully operational last month. In recent weeks, authorities briefly suspended EES checks at Dover to clear thousands of holidaymakers in high temperatures, highlighting inconsistent implementation and mounting queues. Moynihan told the BBC that the extra passport check adds to delays, advising travellers to anticipate queues, bring a portable charger or water, and allow extra time for connections. ACI Europe has warned queues can reach up to three-and-a-half hours at 45 airports across 20 EU states in peak periods, according to a May 26 survey. The European Commission said delays are not solely caused by EES; some processing may take as little as a minute, and other factors contribute to hold-ups.