Italy and Portugal have changed their entry rules for UK tourists by scrapping the new Entry/Exit System (EES) requirements. This move comes after Ryanair and Jet2 issued warnings about long queues and missed flights at European airports.
EES Roll-Out Causes Chaos
The full implementation of fingerprint and facial scans under the EES since 10 April has led to three-hour queues and hundreds of passengers missing flights. However, in a boost for travellers, Italy is expected to scrap the requirements, and Portugal has temporarily paused the EES rules when queues become too long.
Ryanair announced it has written to governments in 29 countries, including Italy, Spain, France, and Portugal, urging them to suspend EES until September. Greece has already introduced similar measures for British nationals.
Jet2 Praises Greece
Jet2, a rival of Ryanair, praised the Greek authorities for their approach to working with the industry and putting customers first. Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2, said: "We applaud the Greek authorities for acting in the best interests of UK holidaymakers. Our customers work and save very hard for their holidays, and we will always do everything in our power to ensure they have the very best experience when they travel with us."
Heapy added: "We believe that pausing EES checks, until systems and processes are ready, will result in a much better experience for our customers and we are pleased to see that the Greek authorities agree. We expect a quick response in terms of demand for holidays to Greece as a result of this move, and we urge other countries to follow this common-sense approach and put holidaymakers first."
Warning from Milan Airport
Elsewhere, border police at one of Europe's busiest airports have warned British passengers to arrive three to four hours before their flights during the summer holidays due to huge queues for new EU biometric checks. Cristian Sternativo, a border officer at Milan Malpensa Airport and provincial secretary of the SAP police union, issued the warning.
Greek Official Responds
Andreas Fiorentinos, Secretary General of the Greek National Tourist Organisation, said: "Following Jet2's recent announcement welcoming Greece's decision to temporarily suspend biometric checks for British travellers under the EES system, Greece reaffirms its commitment to providing a smooth and visitor-friendly travel experience. Tourism remains a top government priority and a key pillar of the Greek economy. Special thanks are due to Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis for his swift and effective intervention, which helped ensure efficient procedures for UK visitors."
UK holidaymakers are vital to Greek tourism, and facilitating their travel to Greece remains a strategic priority for the country.
