British holidaymakers heading to Greece this summer will not be subjected to the European Union's new biometric security requirements, after Athens announced it would waive fingerprint and facial scanning measures for UK visitors.
The decision comes as concerns mount over lengthy queues at airports across the continent, following the rollout of the Entry and Exit System.
It mandates all non-EU travellers undergo photography and fingerprinting at border crossings, with warnings suggesting the fully operational system could cause delays stretching to four hours at some locations.
Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, stated the exemption would "ensure a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece" and would "significantly reduce waiting times", while alleviating congestion at airports.
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The new border system, designed to replace manual passport stamps and monitor the 90-day visa-free allowance, has already caused significant disruption at major European airports.
Last Sunday, chaos at Milan Linate Airport left more than 120 EasyJet passengers stranded when they missed their flight to Manchester.
Among those affected was teacher Max Hume, 56, travelling with his wife Lynsey, 46, and their son Archie, 13, following a skiing trip.
Despite arriving nearly three hours early after being advised to allow extra time, the family watched helplessly as their aircraft departed without them.
The decision comes as concerns mount over lengthy queues at airports across the continent
|GETTY
Speaking to The Independent, Mr Hume said he felt "gutted, upset, let down, absolutely shattered and poorer, much poorer".
The family ultimately paid approximately £1,600 for alternative flights via Luxembourg after being quoted £330 for rebooking five days later.
Of the 156 passengers booked on that Manchester-bound flight, just 34 managed to board, leaving 122 travellers stranded in Italy.
EasyJet subsequently issued an apology for the incident.
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Technical difficulties have also plagued UK border points, with EES kiosks at Dover, Folkestone and London St Pancras remaining disconnected from the French border police IT system, with problems anticipated to persist until September.
Greece depends significantly on visitors from Britain, with popular island destinations including Corfu, Crete and Rhodes receiving upwards of 2,000 UK passengers daily during peak periods.
Athens' decision is viewed as an effort to offer reassurance to British tourists, and may encourage other Mediterranean nations to adopt similar measures.
No end date has been confirmed for the British exemption.
Athens announced it would waive fingerprint and facial scanning measures for UK visitors
| PAAccording to ABTA, Greece ranks as the fifth most popular destination for British travellers this summer, following Spain, France, Italy and the USA.
The conflict in the Middle East has driven increased interest in European holidays this year, although an ABTA spokesman cautioned it remains premature to assess how Greece's exemption might affect visitor numbers given the multiple factors influencing destination choices.
However, some travellers have already made their minds up.
"Greece for me this summer then, was thinking of Tenerife, but no way I'm putting up with those queues and chaos," wrote one user on X.
Another commented: "I work in the travel industry, already had customers worried about this new system believe me, Greece will benefit from this stand!"
A third added: "Perfect, off to the Greek islands this summer, common sense prevails!"
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