British holidaymakers warned of 'massive' delays at EU airports

Passengers wait to pass through security at Barcelona's El Prat airport

British holidaymakers flying home from Europe have been warned to arrive at airports with at least three hours to spare amid severe delays caused by new passport controls.

Passengers have queued for up to four hours at airports in Italy, Portugal, France, Spain and Belgium following the introduction of more stringent checks for travellers entering and leaving the EU's passport-free area.British Airways sent text messages to customers warning them of long delays and promised to re-book passengers who miss their flights because of the queues.
Meanwhile, Ryanair and EasyJet also alerted flyers - with the latter advising customers to allow extra time "to be able to get to the gate on time".

The details of people from non-Schengen countries, including the UK, must be checked

:: What you need to know about the longer security checks
A number of passengers vented their frustration over the delays on Twitter.
Paul Steenkamp said queues at Barcelona's El Prat Airport - worsened by security staff strike action - were "massive".
He said at least three hours were required to get through security checks, adding: "Chaos is an understatement."
Another passenger said "huge delays" at the same airport were "not worth the hassle".
Meanwhile, other flyers complained about arriving early to find no delays in passport control areas.

Some passengers have had to wait up to four hours in airport queues

Jason Walsh tweeted: "Come to the airport early, they said. There are delays, they said. Now have three hours to wait in airport."As part of the security checks, travellers' details have to be run through databases to see if they pose a threat.The new rules have been introduced following terror attacks in Paris and Brussels.Earlier this week, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said he was "jumping up and down" in frustration as more than a fifth of the airline's flights were being delayed because of the issue.He told a press conference he could not understand why passengers on outbound flights were being checked, saying: "If people are leaving your country, what the hell is the problem?"
Aviation minister Lord Callanan has said he will urge his counterparts in Portugal, Spain and Italy to "do all they can to reduce queues and allow travellers to get on with their holidays".

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