Athens Airport's departures passport control has been plagued by congestion in recent days, leaving dozens of British travellers stranded as they attempted to board a Ryanair flight from Athens to London Luton last week. Up to 50 passengers were reportedly unable to board the flight on 14 June, with the airline attributing the disruption to "delays caused by border control" at the airport.
Athens Airport confirmed that periods of congestion are currently common due to high passenger volumes and new processing requirements for travellers heading to non-Schengen destinations, such as the UK. The introduction of the EU Entry-Exit System (EES) in April has added to these delays, mandating biometric data collection upon entry to the Schengen Area. Comprising 29 European nations, this new system is designed to enhance border security but has led to longer queues and processing times.
Greek authorities had previously indicated that they would not collect biometric data for UK travellers this summer, but it appears that other aspects of the new procedures or increased passenger traffic are still causing significant bottlenecks. One travel journalist who made it onto the flight reported delays while the luggage of the missing passengers was removed from the aircraft.
Ryanair stated that all present at the boarding gate when the flight commenced boarding were able to travel without incident, suggesting those who missed the flight were not in the boarding area when gates closed. This incident highlights the growing challenges for British travellers navigating European airports post-Brexit and the potential for missed flights due to increased waiting times at passport control.