EasyJet has issued a warning to Brits travelling to Spain ahead of a new EU rule that’s soon to be put into force.
The Foreign Office has issued a warning to UK residents travelling to EU destinations such as Majorca from November 10 as the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) comes into effect.
Under the new rules, all non-EU passengers will be required to have their fingerprints and photo taken on their first entry into the Schengen area.
Travellers may also be questioned on the purpose of their visit, duration of stay, their funds, and be asked to provide proof of a return journey.
EasyJet has now also warned passengers it may affect customer’s airport transfers and stressed that the new system could lead to long queues at border control.
The airline said: “There may be longer queues at border control while this new system is being implemented and as people go through it for the first time,” reports Majorca Daily Bulletin.
It added: “If you have a transfer included in your package or have booked a private transfer, we’re working closely with our transfer partners to make sure they know about the extra time at border control for your airport pick up and drop off.
“This might mean that your return transfer will pick you up earlier than you’d expect.”
Seamus McCauley, head of public affairs at Holiday Extras, expressed concerns about the potential impact of the new ETIAS system on UK travellers’ plans – and said some have even changed their holiday plans.
He said: “Some British travellers have already changed their plans to avoid the EES coming on November 10.”
Referring to a survey carried out by Holiday Extras, he continued: “Five percent of respondents to the same survey said they’d already made changes to avoid the new paperwork, and another 22 percent expected they might do so later.
“More are likely to do the same when ETIAS comes in since there are plenty of alternative destinations that don’t demand the new paperwork.
“Ireland, Cyprus, Albania, Turkey, the Channel Isles, Montenegro, Georgia, and anywhere in North Africa like Tunisia, Morocco or Egypt, just to name some of the places you can fly to direct in one to four hours that won’t be adopting the new system.”
In a separate survey, Co-Op Insurance revealed that over one in five – 22 percent – of Brits would be put off travelling to countries in Europe once the new digital border system is introduced.
Nearly half (45 percent) of those who would be put off also do not like the idea of having biometrics data on file for three years, while 38 percent are concerned about long delays.
