A major low-cost European airline has begun advising British passengers to get to the airport three hours before their flights due to the length of time that new European Union border processes are taking.
Wizz Air has warned that some travellers have missed flights because they have been caught out by the need for third country nationals to register their passport details and biometric information, including fingerprints, at Schengen zone border points, under the EU’s new Entry Exit System (EES), rolled out in April 2026.
The system is intended to streamline border and immigration processes across the bloc. In the eight months since its phased introduction began in October 2025, there have been nearly 80 million border crossings under EES, with 35,000 entries refused.
But it has already come in for criticism from travel industry stakeholders as a result of the delays and operational chaos it has generated at some border points. Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado has repeatedly been in the news, with passengers shown queuing around the hub and national guard officers, as well as additional police, brought in to manage airport flows. A CNN reporter who recently travelled through the Portuguese hub described the EES situation there as “complete insanity.”
Meanwhile, Greece unilaterally suspended EES controls for inbound British holidaymakers earlier this spring, calling for the EU to look again at the impact of the system on the travel sector. The Commission has already said mitigating measures can be used at hubs where operational issues arise until September.
Yvonne Moynihan, Wizz Air’s UK managing director, told the BBC that the implementation of EES was “fragmented across Europe.” While some destinations are operating normally, passengers in other places, especially European “hotspots such as Spain, Portugal, France” are experiencing long waits. Advising them to prepare for delays and “bring a portable charger or water,” she said passengers should consider arriving at departures three hours ahead of their flights, rather than the regular two hours that are usually considered enough.
'The key for preparation is to arrive at the airport early.'
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 31, 2026
Managing director of Wizz Air UK, Yvonne Moynihan, advises British holidaymakers 'to come to the airport at least two to three hours early', as new border checks at some European airports are causing long queues pic.twitter.com/FDShJHRqKa
Airport trade association, ACI Europe concurred, saying passengers should follow airline guidance but be aware that the situation is likely to worsen as the summer season hits full swing.
Speaking to the state of the market as high jet fuel costs have pushed up fares and prompted flight cancellations, Moynihan says Wizz Air is well hedged against the rising fuel prices. The airline is seeing cautious passengers wait longer and book later, she added, but urged them to “feel confident booking.”
