EES disruption concerns grow after passengers miss Athens flight
Border-control delays linked to Europe’s new entry system are raising fresh questions over missed departure claims and traveller responsibility
Dozens of Ryanair passengers were left behind in Athens after lengthy queues at passport control prevented them from reaching a flight to London Luton, highlighting growing concerns about disruption linked to the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES).
The flight departed without a number of passengers after congestion built up at security and passport control. Passenger accounts suggested between 20 and 50 travellers were affected.
Neither Ryanair nor Athens International Airport directly blamed the EES, but both pointed to delays caused by additional border-processing requirements for non-Schengen travellers.
The incident is the latest in a series of reports since the rollout of the new border-control regime. In April, around 100 easyJet passengers reportedly missed a flight from Milan to Manchester after facing passport control queues of up to three hours.
For travel insurers, the disruption highlights a potentially complex area of claims handling. Many insurance policies include missed departure cover, but eligibility often depends on whether travellers allowed sufficient time to complete airport formalities.
As airports adapt to new border procedures, determining responsibility for missed and delayed flights may become increasingly challenging.
The issue is particularly relevant as the summer travel season gathers pace. Earlier this year, airline executives warned that the introduction of EES could increase processing times for British and other non-EU travellers entering or leaving the Schengen Area.
Athens Airport acknowledged periods of congestion due to high passenger volumes and additional processing requirements, noting that similar challenges were being experienced at airports across Europe as the new procedures were implemented.
While the immediate financial impact on insurers is likely to be limited, repeated incidents could contribute to higher volumes of disruption-related claims involving replacement flights, accommodation, and missed connections.