Are Brits facing a summer of travel chaos?

The ‘Great Getaway’ is due to begin this week as most schools in England break up for the summer holidays and families look to escape the soggy British summer.

But there are fears of travel chaos at ports and airports amid the spike in UK holidaymakers looking to get abroad.

Border chiefs have already warned of long queues and said wait times might be worsened by the Paris Olympics.

Airlines have moaned about a shortage of air traffic control staff and there are worries about planned strikes at major European airports.

Meanwhile, officials are scrambling to implement new EU border checks that are due to come into force in the autumn and already threatening disruption.

Here’s a look at why holidaymakers might be facing another border fiasco this summer…

New EU border checks

On 6 October, the much-delayed EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is finally set to come into force.

This is presenting the latest challenge for border chiefs to deal with following the implementation of post-Brexit arrangements and the Covid crisis.

EES will be an automated IT system for registering travellers from non-EU countries, including the UK, each time they cross a border into or out of the EU.

The Port of Dover has warned that the work needed to prepare for the implementation of EES will mean reduced queuing space for traffic this summer.

When EES comes into force, travellers will need to scan their passports at an automated self-service kiosk prior to crossing the border.

This will replace the current manual stamping of passports for visitors to Europe’s borderless Schengen area who are not nationals of EU or Schengen countries.

The system will register the person’s name, type of travel document, biometric data (such as fingerprints) and the date and place of entry and exit.

It is likely that British travellers will have their fingerprints and facial images taken the first time they cross a border into the EU, once the new system is in operation.

This data will normally be erased from the system three years after their last trip to a country using the EES system.

EES was previously scheduled to come into force in 2022, then May 2023, and then the end of last year.

It has now been pushed back until October following a French request that it is implemented after the Paris Olympics in July and August.

The travel industry has expressed concerns about Brussels’ wish for a ‘big bang’ launch to roll out EES in one go, rather than opt for a phased implementation.

Reduced queuing space at Dover

Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, has warned the looming introduction of EES is already having an impact.

He said holidaymakers travelling through Dover this summer will notice workers on site as they scramble to prepare for the EU’s new ‘smart borders’ system.

This will result in reduced queuing space for vehicles wanting to cross the Channel over the coming weeks, Mr Bannister added. 

He said: ‘As well as having even more tourist traffic coming our way this year, we have the added challenge of having to implement our infrastructure works required by France and the EU to support the EU’s new Entry/Exit system due to go live in October.

‘On arrival at the port this summer, our customers will see the contractors we have on-site, working around an already busy 24/7 operation to construct these facilities.

‘The effect of these works that are required to house the process means that our buffer zone, where traffic waits for French border clearance, will have a reduced capacity.’

The Port of Dover will start its ‘Summer Getaway’ operations – designed to cope with the summer surge in traveller numbers – on 18 July.

Paris Olympics

The Paris Olympics are being held between 26 July and 11 August in the French capital, with the Paralympics set to follow between 28 August and 8 September.

The Port of Dover is expecting an increase in traveller numbers of up to one-third as fans travel to Paris to cheer on Team GB.

Mr Bannister said his staff ‘must also factor in an anticipated increase in traveller numbers of 30 per cent, who will be making their way to Paris for the Olympic Games’ alongside the disruption of works to prepare for EES.

‘We know that these external factors will have an impact on customer’s journeys to and through the port, but we will continue to work hard with our partners to prioritise their experience,’ he added.

Mr Bannister warned the Port of Dover will be ‘exceptionally busy’ in the coming weeks and warned of processing times of up to two hours during peak times.

‘We are advising those who will be using the Port of Dover this summer that it will be exceptionally busy and therefore it is vital that they do not arrive any earlier than the two hours stated – just as if you were planning on flying from a UK airport,’ he said.

‘Our current modelling indicates that processing times inside the port will be up to two hours during the peak hours of 6am to 1pm on Fridays, through to Sundays every weekend of the summer holidays, due to the extreme popularity of these days. 

‘We value all of the customers who choose to use the Port of Dover. We anticipate some busy times ahead this Summer and are undoubtedly appreciative of their patience and support whilst we get them on the way to their holiday.’

Staff shortages across air traffic control

Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline group, has repeatedly hit out at ‘unacceptable mismanagement’ by air traffic control (ATC) bosses across Europe.

After recent disruption at London Heathrow and London Gatwick, Ryanair blamed ‘excessive flight delays caused by European ATC staff shortages’.

‘ATC services, which have had the benefit of no French ATC strike disruption this summer, continue to underperform… with repeated ‘staff shortages’,’ the airline added.

‘These repeated flight delays due to ATC mismanagement are unacceptable.

‘We apologise to our passengers for these repeated ATC flight delays which are deeply regrettable but beyond Ryanair’s control.’

Neal McMahon, Ryanair’s chief operations officer, previously complained that ATC services in Europe this summer are ‘at their worst levels ever’.

Just 56 per cent of flights in Europe departed on time in the first week of July, according to figures from Eurocontrol, which coordinates air traffic control across Europe.

Iacopo Prissinotti, director network manager at Eurocontrol, said: ‘Summer 2024 is proving particularly challenging due to strong traffic growth and network saturation combined with adverse weather.

‘With safety always our top priority, it is even more crucial that everyone is on board and we call on all operational stakeholders to deliver the capacity and flexibility that they have committed to.’

Eurocontrol data also showed DSNA, the agency in charge of air traffic control in France, had 106,531 delayed flights in the first six months of this year.

DFS, in charge of air traffic control in Germany, was the second worst-performing with 97,702 delayed flights between January and June.

Ground Handling International, the trade industry publication, recently reported that Frankfurt International Airport was the least punctual airport in Europe last year.

Based on research from UK-based global travel data provider OAG, an analysis found Frankfurt saw 57.32 per cent of departures delayed and 3.41 per cent of flights cancelled.

As a result, only 39.27 per cent of its 200,972 flights in 2023 departed on time.

Strikes at European airports

Unions representing workers at Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris have announced a strike for 17 July over pay and conditions.

They have demanded a bonus for all airport staff and additional resources during the upcoming Olympics.

There is also a planned strike by air traffic control workers on 21 July at Linate and Bergamo airports in Milan, northern Italy.