Between 20 and 50 passengers were left stranded at Athens International Airport on June 20, 2026, after their Ryanair flight to London Luton departed without them. Ryanair attributed the missed flight to severe congestion at security and passport control, while airport authorities cited the implementation of new, mandatory biometric border-control processing requirements for non-EU travelers as the primary cause for the delays.
Why are airport security delays increasing for UK travelers?
Travelers are facing longer processing times due to the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires biometric registration for all non-EU citizens. According to airport officials, these additional processing requirements have led to significant bottlenecks at departures. While the Greek government previously signaled a potential exemption for British citizens, the Greek Foreign Ministry confirmed a U-turn, stating that all non-EU visitors—including UK passport holders—must undergo the same biometric scanning procedures.
The EES system replaces traditional manual passport stamping with digital biometric records, including facial images and fingerprint scans, intended to track entry and exit dates for non-EU nationals.
How does the new biometric system affect flight boarding?
The discrepancy between standard boarding times and increased security throughput has created a “gate-closing” crisis for airlines. Ryanair reported that “a number of passengers” failed to arrive at the boarding gate in time due to the delays at passport control. Conversely, passengers described “mega queues” of hundreds of people in sweltering temperatures. While Ryanair maintained that all passengers who reached the gate on time traveled without incident, affected travelers expressed frustration, with some reporting that they were left behind despite being in the terminal building.
What are the official responses to the travel disruptions?
The situation highlights a tension between airline schedules and government border policy. Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni previously pledged that the government would ensure visitors were not “burdened” by the new bureaucracy, suggesting that biometric entry and exit would take “a minute or so” via a “fast-track” process. However, the reality at Athens airport involved airport authorities intervening to “maintain orderly operations” after passengers expressed significant dissatisfaction with the wait times. Airport spokespeople noted that these congestion periods are occurring at many European hubs as new border-control procedures are being refined.
Comparison: Government Promises vs. Passenger Reality
| Source | Stated Expectation |
|---|---|
| Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni | Processing takes “a minute or so” with fast-tracking. |
| Affected Passengers | “Mega queues” leading to missed flights. |
Arrive at the airport at least three hours before your international flight when traveling to or from non-Schengen destinations to account for potential biometric processing delays.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are UK citizens exempt from EU biometric checks? No. The Greek Foreign Ministry confirmed that British travelers must undergo the same EES registration as other non-EU visitors.
- Who is responsible if I miss my flight due to security queues? Airlines generally consider security delays to be outside of their direct control, often leaving passengers responsible for rebooking costs unless the airline is found to have departed prematurely.
- What is the EES? The Entry/Exit System is an automated IT system for registration of travelers from non-EU countries, recording their name, travel document type, and biometric data.
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