Airlines claim passengers face 'huge' airport delays because of stricter EU border rules
Business group Airlines For Europe counts Aer Lingus owner IAG and Ryanair as members.
AN AIRLINE GROUP that counts Aer Lingus owner IAG and Ryanair as members has claimed that passengers face “huge delays” because of understaffing at border controls in European airports.
Airlines For Europe (A4E) has complained that there is not enough staff at many airports to deal with tighter immigration rules introduced this year by the European Union.
A4E claimed that air passengers have become “victims” of a new regulation that was introduced in March after a number of high-profile terror attacks in recent years.
The new EU rules impose stricter passport checks on people travelling to and from the 26 countries that participate in the Schengen Convention, an agreement that did away with systematic border controls. Ireland is not part of the zone.
It means people travelling within the area can have their passports checked against a number of databases like the Schengen Information System and Interpol’s database on stolen and lost travel documents.
Ireland has applied to take part in the Schengen agreement but only for certain policing and criminal judicial measures, not the common border control and visa provisions.
Ryanair and Aer Lingus jets
‘Swift solution’
Brussels-based A4E has argued that some European airports haven’t deployed enough to deal with the new measures, which has resulted in lengthy queues at some hubs.
The group’s managing director, Thomas Reynaert, said it was calling for “a swift solution on behalf of European passengers and airlines”.
“Especially during the peak season of the year, travellers face long lines and can’t get on their flights,” he said, claiming that queues lasting four hours have been reported at airports such as Lisbon, Madrid and Paris-Orly.
While A4E said it “fully supports EU efforts to reinforce controls at external borders so as to preserve Schengen’s free movement area”, it complained that inefficiencies by some member states has directly impacted business at European airlines.
In addition to IAG and Ryanair, A4E also counts Easyjet, Norwegian, Lufthansa and Air France among its members. It says its member account for over 70% of all air traffic in Europe and collectively generate more than €100 billion in sales every year.
