Overview
- Greece moved late Friday to drop biometric registration for British passport holders at its border posts, reverting to quick passport checks and stamps.
- The EU Entry/Exit System went live on April 10, replacing stamps with a digital record that captures a face scan and fingerprints for non‑EU visitors.
- Airports across Europe now report peak queues of two to three hours, and airlines such as easyJet are urging passengers to arrive earlier and head straight to passport control.
- Operational strain has caused missed flights such as the 100‑plus easyJet passengers left at Milan Linate, while several Portuguese airports temporarily halted new registrations to clear backlogs.
- On‑the‑ground reports vary sharply, with scenes of ‘chaos’ for UK travellers at Palma contrasting with travellers in Tenerife clearing checks in minutes once their details were already in the system.