EasyJet boss says EU border changes risk 'passengers being left stuck on planes’

Travellers to the EU risk being stuck on planes as terminals become congested due to incoming border checks, the head of low-cost carrier easyJet has warned. 

This is a “worst-case scenario” said CEO Johan Lundgren, but may come to pass if airports struggle to register passengers quickly enough.

The incoming border security changes as part of the Entry/Exit System (EES) will see all non-EU citizens visiting the Schengen area for short stays being required to go through additional checks to enter the bloc, including a facial photo and fingerprints. 

The new procedures will not concern foreign people who live in France or other Schengen countries.

This will significantly increase the time it takes passengers to pass border control.

Read more: UK updates its official site for Britons living in France about border changes

“There will be some disruption… [as] it is a new procedure,” Mr Lundgren said at the Abta (travel agents and tour operator association) trade conference in Greece earlier this week.

However, increased processing times could leave terminals saturated, as passengers take longer to pass through. 

“In the worst case you actually can’t disembark, you [have to] hold people on the plane,” the easyJet chief executive said. “We have to think about what can actually happen,” he is quoted as saying in The Telegraph.

Alongside frustrations for travellers, this may impact flight schedules, with planes spending extra time in bays.

Travel industry anxious

Others in the industry have criticised the EU and other governments for not making the changes clear enough for travellers.

“We will absolutely be looking after our customers, we will be making sure they’re aware,” said Neil Swanson, operations director in the UK and Ireland for tour operator Tui (also quoted in The Telegraph).

“But I think the government should be doing a bit more as well to make sure that everyone is aware of what the situation is,” he added. 

The UK government recently announced €10.5 million worth of funding for the three locations where EES checks will take place on UK soil – the Port of Dover, Folkestone (the Eurotunnel), and Eurostar’s London St Pancras terminal. 

Read more: Dover, Eurostar, Eurotunnel: UK pledges funds to ease border changes

“It’s frustrating that there will be delays for customers. Nobody wants that,” said Mark Tanzer, Abta chief executive at the conference.

“Because we haven’t had a clear date for when this is going to commence, we haven’t really been able to start detailed communication yet,” he added. The scheme is set to launch in November, but numerous countries are asking to delay the rollout (see below).

A trade association for freight lorries and HGV’s said the delays may affect Christmas deliveries, and increase prices of goods. 

Logistics UK estimates an increased cost of around £1,100 to each truck entering the UK due to longer processing times.

Delays on the horizon? 

The rollout of EES should be delayed until travellers can pre-register most of the information that will be required, Mr Lundgren suggested. 

A mobile app that would allow pre-registration is in development by the EU, but there is no concrete information of when it is expected to launch. 

France is one of three major EU countries asking to delay the launch of the EES, currently scheduled for November, as they consider they are not ready.

Germany and the Netherlands are also urging the EU to delay rollout, or implementing it in a number of phases. 

Read more: CONFIRMED: France one of countries asking for delay to EES November launch

Read more: French ferry ports: ‘IT and tablets not ready for EES border changes’