Jet2 urges EES suspension after delays
- Jet2 said on April 28 other European countries should copy Greece and suspend Entry/Exit System biometric checks for British holidaymakers after delays. - Greece’s exemption for British passport holders dates from April 10, and Jet2 said it covers 15 Greek airports and 3.5 million seats. - The EU made EES fully operational on April 10 across 29 countries, replacing passport stamps with biometric registration. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu)
Jet2 urged other European governments on Tuesday, April 28, to suspend Entry/Exit System biometric checks for British travellers after Greece exempted them. (app.jet2.com) The airline and tour operator said it had lobbied authorities across its network to pause the checks until “systems and processes are ready.” Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy said Greece had acted “in the best interests of UK holidaymakers.” (app.jet2.com) Greece’s embassy in London said British passport holders have been excluded from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points since April 10, 2026. Jet2 said that should improve arrivals and departures for customers flying through 15 Greek airports this summer. (app.jet2.com) (euronews.com) Jet2 has more than 3.5 million seats on sale to Greece this summer, so the company is tying the border change directly to one of its biggest holiday markets. It said it expects demand for Greece bookings to respond quickly. (app.jet2.com) The Entry/Exit System is the European Union’s digital border database for non-EU short-stay travellers. It records a traveller’s facial image, fingerprints and passport data instead of relying on manual passport stamps. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu 1) (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu 2) The European Commission said the system started operations on October 12, 2025 and became fully operational on April 10, 2026 across 29 European countries. The Commission said more than 45 million border crossings were registered during the rollout period. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) Supporters say the system is meant to modernise border checks and help detect overstays, identity fraud and serious crime. But the first weeks of full operation have produced queue complaints and missed-flight stories from British travellers and travel companies. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) (euronews.com) Euronews reported that at Milan Linate, only 34 of 156 passengers boarded one Manchester-bound flight after hours-long queues. Biometric Update said the rollout is also drawing scrutiny over whether the data collection is proportionate under European privacy law. (euronews.com) (biometricupdate.com) Greece has framed its exemption as a way to keep airport flows moving before the summer peak. Jet2 is now trying to turn that one-country carveout into a wider pause for British holidaymakers elsewhere in Europe. (euronews.com) (app.jet2.com)
