Q&A

What is going on?

Queues at passport control are hardly a rarity. But airports are introducing tougher checks at immigration as a result of new EU legislation introduced following terror attacks in Brussels and Paris.

These checks take longer. Airlines say the problem is compounded by the fact that despite backing the plans, EU states have failed to set up more gates at passport control or hire more officers to man them.

Who is affected?

The checks affect anyone travelling into the border-free Schengen Area from countries not in the Schengen zone, including the UK and Ireland. They also apply to those flying out of a Schengen country to a non-Schengen one. Most EU member states signed up to the Schengen agreement.

What do the checks entail?

Previously most Britons arriving at Palma, Majorca, for example, would have been waived through by the immigration officer after a quick look at your passport. Now, passport control has to carry out security

checks against several databases including the Schengen Information System and Interpol’s database of lost and stolen travel documents. This is done automatically by computers but takes up to two minutes a passenger, rather than seconds. Can I just use e-passport gate?

Yes, and these gates, where a machine scans a microchip in your passport, are likely to be significantly quicker. The problem is there aren’t enough of them at many airports across the EU.

How long have EU countries had to prepare for this?

More than eighteen months. The regulation – EU 201 /458 – was presented by the European Commission in December 2015. The EC says this means member states have had plenty of time to make the necessary preparations to ensure the checks are carried out as quickly is possible. But it also appears to have limited sympathy for passengers stuck in line, arguing this is the price they have to pay for extra security.

Will it get better?

In the near future, airlines have warned the delays could get worse. Member states were given a six-month period ending October to introduce the changes. While countries like France, Italy, Spain and Belgium are already imposing the tougher checks, others including Austria and Denmark have yet to make the change.

With millions of people jetting off on their summer holidays, airlines are worried there could be more disruption to come over the next few weeks.

Isn’t this all a convenient excuse for the airlines?

Some might say so. It is certainly easy for them to blame long queues at passport control for delays to flights.