Plane Leaves Passengers Stranded at Milan Airport Amid Border Check Delays

Plane Leaves Passengers Stranded at Milan Airport Amid Border Check Delays

Approximately 100 EasyJet passengers found themselves stranded in Milan due to extensive delays at the airport. The disruption occurred while they were attempting to board a flight back to Manchester.

Border Check Delays Impact Passengers

The root cause of the delays was the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES). This system requires that every traveler has their photo taken and fingerprints scanned, which significantly slows down processing times. Many passengers had arrived at Milan Linate Airport well in advance, some even three hours before their scheduled departure.

Controversy Between EasyJet and Milan Airport

A dispute has erupted between EasyJet and the airport regarding the situation. EasyJet claimed that the delays were beyond their control, stating that they had already postponed the flight by 52 minutes. This delay was intended to allow extra processing time for passengers, but the crew reached the limit of their maximum working hours, forcing the plane to leave without them.

Passenger Experiences

  • Max Hume, 56, along with his wife Lynsey, 46, and their son Archie, experienced severe delays.
  • Upon arriving at passport control, they faced an hour-long wait.
  • Despite arriving three hours early for their return flight, they missed the boarding cut-off.

The family was informed that rebooking for a later flight would cost £330. Consequently, they opted for a connecting flight via Luxembourg for over £1,600. Mr. Hume expressed feelings of dismay and financial loss over the experience.

Statistics on Flight Departures

Among the 156 passengers scheduled to board, only 34 managed to get on the flight before it departed, leaving the rest behind. In a curious twist, passengers booked on non-Schengen flights, including two British Airways flights to Heathrow, were allowed to board despite arriving later than the EasyJet travelers.

Processing Challenges at the Airport

Witnesses reported inadequate staffing and facilities at passport control. Only two officers and one biometric machine were operational, while other automated machines remained unused. Passengers were subjected to extensive processing that included face scans, passport checks, and fingerprinting.

EasyJet’s Response to the Situation

EasyJet acknowledged the long waiting times at passport control and urged travelers to arrive early. They reported taking measures to alleviate the impact of long queues, including holding flights for extra processing time and offering free flight transfers to affected customers.

A spokesperson stated, “While the situation is outside of our control, we regret any inconvenience caused.” On the first day of the full EES implementation, the Brussels-based trade association Airlines for Europe demanded that border control authorities should temporarily suspend EES whenever waiting times exceed acceptable limits.