British holidaymakers left fuming after missing flight back to Britain from Spain over new EU travel rules: 'Are we getting punished for Brexit?'

Fintan Starkey
Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:35:51 +0000

British holidaymakers are experiencing widespread disruption at airports throughout Europe following the introduction of the EU's new entry and exit system, which mandates biometric data collection including photographs and fingerprints for all passengers crossing into the Schengen zone.

The newly implemented regulations have triggered what passengers describe as "mayhem" at border control points across the continent.

Reports of significant delays, flight cancellations and stranded holidaymakers have emerged from airports spanning Brussels to Geneva.

At Milan's Linate Airport on Sunday, approximately 100 easyJet passengers bound for Manchester found themselves abandoned as they waited to board their flight.

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The chaos marks the early days of the EES rollout, with British tourists among the first to encounter the enhanced border procedures.

Michelle Maguire, 38, and her daughter had been due to return from Malaga to Liverpool on Saturday evening but did not reach home until a full day later, with the ordeal ultimately costing the family £1,000.

The pair had taken precautions, reaching the airport three hours before their scheduled departure and joining the passport queue 90 minutes prior to take-off.

However, the line moved incredibly slowly, leaving them scrambling to find assistance.

"Everyone was in the same situation," Ms Maguire told the Mail.

"We were telling staff, 'we're going to miss our flight.'"

She said the response from airport personnel was blunt: "It's not our problem. Get back in the queue."

When she attempted to approach a passport desk directly, staff simply directed her back into the line.

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Ms Maguire described scenes of bedlam throughout the packed terminal, with anxious passengers jostling for position and attempting to access passport control through alternative entrances.

"Everyone was panicking," she said. "Everyone was getting frustrated. Kids were crying."

The situation deteriorated further with no staff managing the growing crowds, leading to passengers repeatedly leaving and re-entering the queue area.

After queuing for more than an hour, Ms Maguire finally reached the border control desks with roughly 30 minutes until departure, only to find staff working without any sense of urgency.

The problem was compounded by numerous empty booths, a consequence of ongoing strikes affecting Spanish airports in recent weeks.

"No one cared if we made our flight," she added. "It was not a priority and there was definitely no empathy."

She continued: "The Ryanair desk was heaving because they had over-filled the flight. When we got there, they said, "you need to sort out your own flight and we're not helping you.'

"No one at the desk was willing to help us. It was absolute mayhem.

Ms Maguire's husband and son both enjoyed easy journeys back to the UK with their Irish passports, leading her to say: "There is definitely an issue with British passports.

"Are we getting punished for Brexit? I'm not sure. But it feels like there is an undertone that it's your fault."

Ms Maguire concluded by saying that the stress of the whole situation had put her off travelling to a destination she has regularly visited in the past.