Passenger Delays at Greek Airport Leave Ryanair Travelers Behind
Passport mega queue strands Ryanair passengers – On Sunday, a Ryanair flight departing from Athens International Airport for London Luton faced delays that stranded up to 50 passengers. The situation escalated as the aircraft left without them, sparking frustration among travelers. Some passengers reportedly became visibly upset, prompting airport authorities to intervene to ensure order, according to the BBC.
Impact of New Border Controls
The incident follows the implementation of the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES), designed to monitor the movement of non-EU citizens within the Schengen area. While Ryanair attributed the delays to border control issues, the airport cited increased processing times due to “additional requirements” for travelers heading to non-Schengen destinations. Neither party explicitly linked the EES to the delays.
“I had my fingerprints scanned or photo taken upon entry or exit at Athens,” said Milo Boyd, a travel writer for the Daily Mirror. “There was a ‘mega queue’ of hundreds waiting at both security and passport control, with temperatures making the wait even worse.”
Boyd noted that he and his wife narrowly made it through the gate before it closed, but at least 20 others missed the flight. “Passengers were pleading with staff, some were crying, others looked ready to lose their temper,” he described.
Passenger Accounts and System Challenges
Passengers reported prolonged waits, with Karen Alarcon Cabada from California describing a one-hour delay at Athens airport on Monday. “It took forever to check my passport,” she said. Similar issues have been noted on other routes, such as a March incident where 100 Easyjet passengers bound for Manchester were stranded in Milan due to three-hour passport queues.
A Ryanair spokesperson stated that delays at Athens airport caused passengers to miss their flight, adding that those who boarded did so without incident. The aircraft reportedly departed an hour late after unloading the missing passengers’ luggage, missing its air traffic control slot.
Call for Earlier Arrivals
The UK representative of Wizz Air recently advised British travelers to arrive at European airports three hours ahead of departure, citing ongoing adjustments to border procedures. Ian Collins, a Twitter user, criticized Ryanair for leaving his daughter and others behind, calling the situation “utterly disgraceful.”
As the EES continues to be rolled out, travelers are grappling with unexpected disruptions. Airport officials acknowledged the challenges, noting that “periods of congestion” are common due to rising passenger numbers and evolving protocols.
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