Milan border chaos sees passengers faint in queues

Dozens of British travellers reportedly fainted or felt unwell after being stuck for hours in long border control queues at Milan Linate Airport on Sunday. The delays were linked to the introduction of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires travellers from non-EU countries — including the UK — to provide fingerprints and a photograph when entering the Schengen Area.

Around 100 easyJet passengers missed their flight after being unable to get through passport control in time. According to the airline, the aircraft’s departure was delayed by 52 minutes in an attempt to allow more customers to board, but many were still left behind.

Seventeen-year-old Kiera from Oldham said she and others had arrived at the airport early for their 11am flight to Manchester but were faced with extremely long queues. She said only about 30 passengers managed to board the plane, leaving many stranded. Kiera, who was already feeling unwell, described the wait as overwhelming, with some travellers feeling sick or faint. She later faced a 20-hour wait for a replacement journey, with her family paying £520 for new tickets to Gatwick instead of Manchester. She said the airline initially offered £12.25 in compensation.

Another passenger, Adam Lomas, 33, from Wakefield, was travelling with his wife Katy and their four-month-old daughter. He said they spent hours in the airport while easyJet and airport authorities disputed who was responsible for the delays. The family eventually had to book a hotel and arrange alternative flights to London, followed by a train journey to Manchester.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System is designed to replace manual passport stamping with biometric registration. UK authorities have previously warned that the process could increase waiting times, particularly during the early stages of implementation.

easyJet described the situation as “unacceptable” but said the delays were outside of its control. The airline stated it had attempted to minimise disruption by holding flights and offering free transfers to affected passengers.

Airlines and travellers are now urging border authorities to improve queue management as the new system continues to roll out across European airports.