Britons face e-borders 'summer holidays queue nightmare' at small airport tourist hotspots in Europe
Britons face possible nightmare summer holiday queues at tourism hotspots with a small airport in continental Europe next year after e- borders come in.
The EU's European Entry/Exit System (EES) will come into force in November.
Crucially, it will require non- EU citizens arriving in a Schengen area destination (most EU countries) for the first time since the new system came in to register their fingerprints, provide a facial scan and answer questions about their stay.
On departure, travellers' details will be checked against the EES database to confirm compliance with existing rules on time limits of stay and register departure.
The EES will also remove the requirement to manually stamp passports at the EU's external border given that instead it will create digital records that link a travel document to a person's identity using biometrics.
Much of the focus in Britain has been on possible queues at the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras International in London, the port of Dover and the Eurotunnel because of the juxtapositioned UK-French border posts there.
However, a senior transport industry source suggested the worst delays may be at small airports in the EU, which see large numbers of Britons flocking to these tourism hotspots in the summer, but may lack the manpower and resources to efficiently deliver the EES registration for new arrivals.
He said: "Small airports are going to find it tough."
He added that the EES was being introduced in a "big bang" approach in November, going live on borders across most of the EU at the same time rather than being brought in gradually, which meant there was a "high risk" over the smooth introduction of the technology.
Bigger airports such as Amsterdam's Schiphol, Charles de Gaulle in Paris and Frankfurt may find it easier to quickly and successfully adopt EES.
But the system has not been trialed in a live environment so risks remain.
In July, Home Office minister Seema Malhotra said the UK is insufficiently prepared for the EU's new post-Brexit border security checks for UK nationals entering the bloc and highlighted that disruption was "likely" for travellers when it comes in.
Dover has spent six years preparing for EES, more intensely over the 24 months.
More infrastructure has been put in place for the system but government regulatory approvals are still needed for more work from next Easter to develop it further for the port.
The new Labour government backs the aims of the EES but has criticised the level of preparations put in place by the previous Conservative administration.
Ms Malhotra emphasised in the summer that steps were being taken to limit possible delays, including:
* Expanding the French border control zone at Dover to reduce the risk of queues at peak times.
* Closely working with the French government on the scheme at the juxtaposed frontiers.
* A public awareness campaign so travellers are aware of the changes.
* Talking with EU member states to seek a more pragmatic approach when the new rules are introduced.
The Government announced last month that Dover, St Pancras International and Eurotunnel will each get £3.5 million of funding to try to prevent EES-related delays.
Sir Keir Starmer 's government is seeking to build ties with the EU after they were so badly damaged by Brexit, including by causing a multi-billion pound blow to trade.
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