Ryanair warns of delays at European airports due to EU entry-exit system
Ryanair has warned of long delays at seven European airports due to the introduction of the new EU entry-exit system.
Narrative Synthesis
Neutral news article compiled by integrating coverage details from all reporting stations.
Ryanair has warned that passengers from the UK could face long delays at seven popular European airports this summer because of the new EU entry-exit system. The system, which became fully operational in April, requires non-EU nationals, including British travellers, to have their passport scanned, a photo taken and their fingerprints recorded when entering and leaving the Schengen area. The airline says the checks are causing queues and some people have missed flights home or connecting flights.
The airports identified by Ryanair are Tenerife South, Palma, Alicante and Malaga in Spain, Milan in Italy, Krakow in Poland and Paris-Bouvet in France. Other airports, such as Rome and Lisbon, have also been reported as having regular queues. The Port of Dover has issued a similar warning, with its boss saying there could be congestion and delays over the summer if the system is not eased.
Airlines and airports are calling on the European Commission to allow more flexibility to cope with the expected increase in passenger numbers over the peak summer period. While the system is working well in some places, the combination of new technology, staffing issues and high passenger volumes is causing problems.
Travel journalists have reported mixed experiences. One journalist who travelled through Bari in Italy said the fingerprint system initially did not work but was eventually processed by an officer. Since then, subsequent trips have been fine. However, there have been reports of waits of up to five hours at larger airports. The advice for travellers is to allow plenty of time, especially for connecting flights, and to check if their destination offers a pre-registration app. Portugal and Sweden have an app where passengers can scan their passport and take a photo up to 72 hours before travel, which may speed things up. But the app is not accepted everywhere, so travellers should check the official tourism website of their destination.
Other tips include carrying snacks, a book or a podcast to pass the time, and considering a staycation in the UK if plans are not fixed. The system is expected to be tested further as the summer holiday season gets underway.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included as supporting evidence for criticism/review of the programme’s visual or editorial framing. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Factual or political claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC One |
|---|---|---|
| The new EU entry-exit system requires passport scanning, a photo, and fingerprints for non-EU nationals. | ||
| Port of Dover's boss warned of congestion and delays over the summer if the system is not eased. | · | |
| Portugal and Sweden offer a pre-registration app that allows travellers to scan their passport and take a photo up to 72 hours before travel to speed up border checks. | · | |
| Ryanair identified seven airports affected by the new EU entry-exit system. | · | |
| Some airports have reported waits of up to five hours, causing passengers to miss connecting flights or flights home. | · |
Channel Perspectives
Editorial focus, emphasis angles, and key quotes from each reporting news station.
The BBC focused on the official warning from Ryanair and the Port of Dover, providing a clear explanation of the new entry-exit system and listing the specific airports affected. It also highlighted the broader industry call for the European Commission to introduce more flexibility. The tone was factual and informative, with a transport correspondent giving context.
- “Ryanair have today come out with this list of airports that it thinks are struggling. They include Tenerife South, Palma, Alicante, Malaga, all Spanish, Milan in Italy, Krakow in Poland and Paris-Bouvet in France.”
- “We are now hearing airports and airlines increasingly call on the European Commission to do something to allow more flexibility to ease this system over the summer peak because they are worried about how the system will perform with that increasing volume of traffic.”
Channel 5 took a more consumer-focused approach, featuring an interview with a travel journalist who shared personal experience and practical advice. The tone was conversational and aimed at helping viewers prepare for potential delays. It highlighted the unpredictability of the system, with some machines not working and staff struggling to cope, and offered tips such as using a pre-registration app and allowing extra time for connections.
- “I was actually very nervous because you'd think the whole fingerprint system but uh initially it did not work so and uh what happened was then they took me through saw an officer got the fingerprints done.”
- “And hearing reports of like five-hour waits which as anyone knows who's ever been to an airport that can a connecting flight or a flight home that can cause real problems.”
- “What i would say is check the destination where you're going to because some like portugal and sweden they you can use an app where you can pre-register your details so it sort of helps.”
Bulletin Timeline
Chronological list of news reports tracked for this story.