Ryanair’s CEO has accused the European Union of retaliating against British tourists due to Brexit by imposing lengthy passport control lines.
Michael O’Leary, who supported the ‘Remain’ side during the Brexit referendum, stated that the EU is “undoubtedly” making UK travelers face extended airport delays as payback for the UK’s departure from the EU in 2020.
British travelers heading to Europe have been cautioned about potential delays of up to four hours as countries implement a new border control system.
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) requires individuals from non-EU countries, like the UK, to have their fingerprints and photographs recorded before entering the Schengen Area, which includes 29 European nations, primarily EU members.
According to Mr. O’Leary, there has been “significant disruption” at passport control points since the new system was initially rolled out in October of the previous year.
This system is being gradually introduced, with full implementation anticipated by April 2026, but it has already led to bottlenecks and increased wait times for travelers.
‘We are beginning to see significant disruption. That’s the next big issue. And EES has just been a s*** show and a shambles,’ the Ryanair CEO told The Times.
He explained that any EU state can defer the implementation of EES for five months until the end of September, saying it would make ‘much more sense’ to do so to avoid the situation getting even worse during summer holidays.
‘There’s a bit of Brexit in this too. Here, you voted for Brexit – f*****g join the queue,’ he said.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary (above) has accused EU of punishing British holidaymakers over Brexit by subjecting them to hours-long passport control queues
Passengers queue for baggage check at Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 in west London on Thursday as millions of journeys are expected to take place across the UK during the bank holiday weekend
Airports Council International said the latest data collected from airports across Europe shows a ‘continued deterioration in waiting times at border crossing points’ where ESS has been introduced.
Delays are ‘regularly reaching up to two hours at peak traffic times, with some airports reporting even longer queues’, it added.
The trade body previously warned that hubs in Germany, France, Iceland, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal were particularly impacted.
Mr O’Leary added further delays were being caused by understaffed immigration kiosks, while passengers who had already registered under the new system were being put in the same queue as everyone else.
He warned that smaller airports, such as those in Seville, Alicante, Tenerife and Faro, were likely to be most affected by delays.
The automated EES system was first launched in October 2025, but airports and ports initially had until April 2026 to fully implement the technology as a mandatory requirement.
However, last month, the EU made the decision to give 29 participating countries a more flexible timeline for the system’s introduction until early September.
The biometric Entry Exit system requires fingerprints and photos from non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering Schengen Area countries
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Aviation bodies previously wrote to Magnus Brunner, the EU commissioner for internal affairs and migration, demanding the EU take immediate action to prevent ‘excessive’ delays as a result of the rollout.
They warned: ‘Failing immediate action to provide sufficient flexibility, severe disruptions over the peak summer months are a real prospect, with queues potentially reaching four hours or more.’
They highlighted three core issues that are ‘compounding EES delays’, including ‘chronic’ understaffing at border control, ‘unresolved’ technical malfunctions and the ‘very limited uptake’ of the Frontex pre-registration app by Schengen states.
