Context:

Around 100 passengers on an Easyjet Milan–Manchester flight were left behind after border controls at Milan Linate caused multi-hour queues, with heat-related distress reported. The incident prompted blame exchanges between passengers, airport staff, and the airline, while Easyjet said the situation was outside its control and offered to rebook or transfer affected travellers. Delays are tied to the European Entry/Exit System rollout, which can extend border checks and is being implemented amid shifting guidance for Schengen arrivals. The episode highlights fragile contingency planning for disruptions at busy international hubs and raises questions about compensation and onward travel options for stranded travellers. Looking ahead, scrutiny of border processing times and airline responses is likely to intensify as EES is fully adopted.

Dive Deeper:

• The disruption occurred at Milan Linate as a Sunday Easyjet service to Manchester left with only about 30 of the hundreds of passengers aboard, leaving roughly 100 behind after border-control queues reportedly reached up to three hours.

• Passenders described heat-related distress, with reports of vomiting and people passing out while awaiting entry checks; some faced a potential 20-hour wait to rebook and continue home, with alternative routes including trains or overnight stays.

• One adolescent traveller quoted by the BBC said her family faced about £520 in extra costs for new onward flights, and she would be redirected to Gatwick rather than Manchester; compensation offered by Easyjet in her case was just £12.25.

• Families travelling with infants described difficulties contacting Easyjet’s support lines, reliance on chatbots, and delays in securing assistance, while some passengers even considered driving to Pisa to catch another flight.

• Easyjet attributed the delays to border-control processes linked to the new European Entry/Exit System (EESS), stating the situation was unacceptable and that it was holding flights and offering free transfers for those who missed departures.

• The EESS rollout is part of a broader shift in the EU’s border regime, with UK guidance noting travellers to the Schengen area may need biometric registration; authorities warn passengers to expect longer waits at borders and that there is no pre-travel action required or cost for EES registration.

• The airline urged border authorities to use the permitted flexibilities to mitigate delays while EES is implemented, while acknowledging the disruption was beyond its control and apologising for the inconvenience.