A woman said travellers were ‘penned in’ as they attempted to go through the new digital system at the airport.
Since the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) was fully rolled out on Friday, 10 April, it has caused major disruption to Brits heading abroad. There have been reports of lengthy border control queues, with some reaching a gruelling three-hour wait, while airlines have advised travellers to arrive at the airport earlier than usual as they grapple with the new digital border system.
There have been numerous reports of passengers missing their flights because of the lengthy waits.
One traveller caught up in the airport chaos was Sonya Black, who had been returning to the UK from France after running the Paris Marathon. “The queue was long, and we were penned in going through the system,” she told the Mirror. “At one point, I was concerned I might miss my flight.”
“It was a few hundred people all trying to catch their flights, in a small space, quite late. There were not enough members of staff, and there was a lack of information. The queue barely moved for long periods. People were becoming visibly concerned, checking times, etc.”
The EES requires all Brits travelling to the Schengen area to go through the digital border system to “create a digital record” and register their biometric details. The new system has replaced manual passport stamping, and once registered, the EES record is valid for three years.
Reflecting on her experience at the airport, where she had still been in lycra and with a medal around her neck, Sonya explained: “While I had left good time to get through passport control (as had everyone else), each person took a long time to get through. Even the staff looked confused with the new Entry Exit system.
“Mood contagion is very real, and you could feel the tension and stress with people becoming very concerned about missing their flight.” As the delays mounted, Sonya flagged the issue twice with a member of staff and said, “As my flight was about to leave, they moved me through the system.”
Thankfully, Sonya caught her flight but said, “It was very close to the mark.”
Sonya claimed she encountered issues with the new Entry/Exit System both in France and on her return to the UK. “Machines needed to be reset/turned off, and the limited staff were under a great deal of pressure. They could have been supported by more staff being present.
“The delays seemed to stem from the rollout of the new system, with staff and passengers both unsure how it worked, which slowed everything down significantly. It hadn’t been communicated about the new system, on the UK or French side, so there was confusion.”
Despite the stress of the situation, Sonya is hopeful that it will improve. “I would like to think that in time, the system will become easier, but a large number of effective machines with supporting staff is needed,” she said.
Sonya, a psychotherapist and coach, added: “People do value human contact from staff in these situations, so it would be useful to retain a person to manage these systems on the ground. Good communication is so important to help. The lack of information and time pressures with deadlines of flights leaving triggers anxiety and stress; lack of control and certainty are key themes in anxiety and stress.
“Simple measures reduce stress and anxiety, like clearer communication, visible staff support, and functioning machines. This would have made a significant difference.”
Offering some advice to travellers who might encounter the same travel disruption, Sonya shared: “Staying calm, some breathing, problem solving helped, chatting with others in the queue helped me realise I was not alone with this issue – kindness and a sense of humour also help! “
For more information on the new EES system, visit the government website.
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