Ryanair has threatened to cancel flights to a popular European holiday destination unless queuing problems are resolved.
David O'Brien, CEO of Ryanair's Malta subsidiary Malta Air, has cautioned the Maltese government that the airline could divert capacity away from Malta to other Mediterranean destinations if lengthy border check delays at the airport fail to improve.
"If we find ourselves with significant congestion and delay, we'd have to redirect capacity away from Malta to other destinations and that's not something we'd like to do," he told the Times of Malta.
The EU's new entry/exit system (EES) has triggered significant hold-ups at numerous busy airports, with passengers facing waits of up to 40 minutes in Malta.
The disruption affects all non-EU travellers, with Maltese arrivals predominantly comprising passengers from the UK, its largest market.
"Europe is utterly unprepared in a general sense. We hope Malta is prepared. We haven't reached summer peak yet," Mr O'Brien added.
David Curmi, executive chairman of national airline KM Malta, also expressed his concerns about the delays to the Times of Malta.
"We are unable to wait for passengers to board our aircraft. Passenger compensation regulations state that we have to compensate all passengers, including those who arrive late because of this system," he said.
Both aviation chiefs have demanded the system be suspended to prevent disruption and passengers missing flights during the hectic summer season. It was announced yesterday that Greece has suspended EU fingerprint and facial scans for British holidaymakers. The country has opted to scrap the new biometric security measures amid fears of queue chaos spreading across the continent. Queues have been plaguing the country, with four-hour waits reported at numerous destinations, including Greece.
Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, emphasised that the decision would "ensure a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece" and would "significantly reduce waiting times" while easing congestion at airports.
A total of 122 passengers were reportedly unable to board the flight from Milan Linate to Manchester on Sunday due to delays at passport desks caused by the implementation of the EU's Entry Exit System (EES). The 11am departure was held for 59 minutes before departing with the majority of seats empty.
Under the EES, travellers must register their biometric information, which involves having their fingerprints scanned and photograph taken.
They must also answer questions about their visit, such as whether they have accommodation arranged, sufficient funds for their trip and a return ticket.
All children must register, though under-12s are exempt from fingerprinting. EES is free for travellers.
Before it launched earlier this year, the Home Office urged travellers to expect "longer wait times at border control", while Advantage Travel Partnership advised visitors to southern Europe to "allocate four hours for navigating the new system".
The system is designed to enhance border security by reducing illegal migration and identifying visitors who overstay their welcome. Once registered, passengers will not need to repeat the process for three years. Any subsequent border crossing within that period will require an individual's fingerprints and photograph to be verified, which is anticipated to be considerably quicker than the initial registration process.
Ryanair has been contacted for further comment.
