Thousands of flights are being delayed due to understaffed border controls in some of the most popular holiday destinations for British holidaymakers, Europe’s largest airline association has warned.
Passengers have faced queues of up to four hours as they arrive or attempt to leave places including Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Lisbon, Lyon, Paris-Orly, Milan or Brussels, Airlines for Europe (A4E) has said.
The organisation – which represents airlines including easyJet, British Airways and Ryanair – blamed the delays on understaffing amid tightened checks brought in under European regulations after the Paris and Brussels terrorist attacks.
Thomas Reynaert, managing director of A4E, said: “Member states need to take all necessary measures now to prevent such disruptions and deploy appropriate staff and resources in sufficient numbers to carry out the requested checks.
“A4E has stressed the disproportionate waiting times and disrupted flow of traffic at external borders with the European commission and calls for a swift solution on behalf of European passengers and airlines.
“Especially during the peak season of the year, travellers face long lines and can’t get on their flights. Queueing for up to four hours has been the top record these days; airports like Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Lisbon, Lyon, Paris-Orly, Milan or Brussels are producing shameful pictures of devastated passengers in front of immigration booths, in lines stretching hundreds of metres.
“At some airports, flight delays have increased by 300% compared to last year – member states must take the responsibility for this.”
Border staff must now check passenger details against databases – such as the Schengen Information System and Interpol’s record of stolen and lost travel documents – as they arrive and leave the affected countries.
A record 2.4 million UK holidaymakers will be heading overseas this summer, according to the travel association Abta, while air traffic controllers are expecting a record 770,000 flights in UK airspace over the summer, 40,000 more than last year.
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