EasyJet passengers describe EU border 'nightmare' following new EES implementation

Passengers forced to spend thousands of pounds to return to the UK after their EasyJet flight left without them said border control delays caused by the European Union's new entry-exit system had been a "nightmare".

More than 100 people missed their flight to Manchester from Milan's Linate airport on Sunday while stuck in what the airline described as "unacceptable" passport control queues.

Some travellers reported vomiting and passing out as they tried to get through biometric and facial recognition checks rolled out under the new European Entry-Exit System (EES) on Friday.

Carol Boon said the experience was "just horrible", while Max Hume said he had been forced to spend £1,800 to get home.

European airports and airlines said there had been significant disruption to their operations, with passengers facing long delays - in some cases missing flights - since the EU digital border control system became fully operational on Friday.

The new system obliges third-country nationals - including Britons - who enter the Schengen free travel zone to register biometric information, including facial scans and fingerprints. Further checks take place when they leave.

According to ACI Europe, which represents airports, and A4E, which speaks for European airlines, initial reports have shown passenger waiting times of two-to-three hours at border control during peak times.

On one occasion, no-one had arrived at the departure gate at the time it was meant to close for a flight. Only 12 passengers had turned up 90 minutes later.

Until last week, border authorities were allowed to suspend operation of EES altogether if waiting times became excessive. Now, only a partial suspension is permitted. ACI Europe and A4E insist greater flexibility is needed ahead of the peak summer months.

Boon had been on a long weekend hen do in Milan with five others before her airport ordeal. The 59-year-old, from Staffordshire, says she has paid for an apartment in the city as she waits to take a flight to Gatwick on Tuesday.

Her group was among at least 100 people left waiting in a situation she described as "very stressful; people arguing, someone fainted, someone was sick".

A spokesperson for EasyJet said it had warned passengers to allow extra time to travel before the "longer than usual waiting times at passport control". But Boon said: "Even if we were there five hours before, we weren't told the gate number until about 90 mins before, so there was nothing we could have done."

When they were told their flight had left, she said EasyJet representatives then "left us to fend for ourselves". She added: "It was just disgusting the way they spoke to us."

Hume, 56, from Leeds, said the waiting had been "awful, just a mess". He said he had spent more than £1,800 arranging to travel via Luxembourg so he could return to the UK as soon as possible. "EasyJet offered us £19 and a flight on Thursday," said Hume, "but we would have had to pay £300."

The airline spokesperson said the flight had been held to allow customers extra time, and it had provided "free flight transfers to those affected". EasyJet apologised but said the problems were "outside of our control".

"We continue to urge border authorities to ensure they make full and effective use of the permitted flexibilities for as long as needed while EES is implemented, to avoid these unacceptable border delays for our customers."

Joy Oliver had been on holiday with her husband and friends. She arrived at Milan Linate three hours before their scheduled departure time. She said it was "absolute carnage" at border control and has rebooked a flight to Edinburgh on Tuesday.

Meanwhile Adam Hoijard, from Wirral, said he and his family arrived three hours early, and stood in the queue for hours before people started "freaking out and feeling sick". He said he felt it was "atrocious" to be blamed for not turning up early enough.

"How much time can you leave to wait in a queue and be told to wait?" The family have spent £1,000 booking a flight to London Gatwick on Tuesday.

Laura Featonby, who runs Laura's Travel Village in Sale, Greater Manchester, said some airlines had been delaying flights to allow passengers to board. "There are going to be teething problems - it is a brand new system. But as EasyJet said, unfortunately, this is down to each country's border control, and it's not down to the airline."