British holidaymakers are being warned they could face delays of up to an hour at 20 European airports this summer, as stricter border control procedures under the new Entry/Exit System (EES) take effect. Travellers from outside the European Union will encounter longer waiting times at security checkpoints while biometric data is collected.
Greece and Spain worst hit by border delays
Analysis by AirAdvisor reveals that Greece and Spain are the destinations experiencing the most disruption for UK passengers. Seven of the 20 most disrupted destinations are Greek islands, while Milan Bergamo in Italy recorded the longest average delay time among those surveyed.
Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, explained: "Our research found that Greece is by some distance the most disruption-prone country for UK air passengers. Seven of the twenty most disrupted destinations for holidays from the UK to Europe are Greek islands, which might not come as a surprise to frequent travellers to these airports." He added: "They tend to be much smaller than hubs in major metropolitan centres and are incredibly popular with holidaymakers from across the world. During the summer period, they frequently operate at maximum capacity, so that means that when a mass disruption event occurs, there are implications for other services."
Top 20 airports most likely to delay your flight
The ranking is based on the number of flights delayed for more than 60 minutes. The airports are: Milan Bergamo, Italy; Nice Cote d'Azur, France; Kefalonia, Greece; Pisa, Italy; Corfu, Greece; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Reus, Spain; Ponta Delgada, Portugal; Olbia, Sardinia; Zadar, Croatia; Zakynthos, Greece; Naples, Italy; Chania, Greece; Paphos, Cyprus; Kos, Greece; Rhodes, Greece; Ibiza, Spain; Alicante, Spain; Mykonos, Greece; and Porto, Portugal.
Compensation rights for delayed passengers
Under the UK's regulation UK261, passengers whose flights are delayed by more than three hours, or face cancellation, may be entitled to compensation. The total amount awarded depends on the length of the delay and the distance of the flight. Anton Radchenko noted: "Similarly, the sheer volume of flights between popular Spanish holiday hubs in Palma and Reus can result in full days of travel chaos when multiple services are delayed. When delays start to build up at an airport, a domino effect can occur, causing flights across a single day being pushed back, leading to higher rates of delays, particularly at peak periods."
