Jack's Flight Club ✈️ Travel News & Inspiration |
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Hi there, Travellers,
February has whizzed by, and somehow we've reached the end of the month already!
While January was full of meeting members old and new at travel shows, this month has been all about bringing together everything we learned from you. The feedback was so great to hear, so please continue to get in touch with ideas.
One thing we know makes a difference before booking a big trip is getting the inside scoop from someone who's been there, done that—and that applies to which airlines we fly with, too. Two of our most-viewed articles are our reviews of lesser-known airlines, Saudia Airlines and China Southern, and we'd like to keep sharing the intel.
So if you've had a memorable airline experience (for the right or wrong reasons), or you've flown on an airline you weren't familiar with beforehand, send us a little airline review to help the Jack's Community go further.
Happy travels and safe landings, |
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Will EES Give You Border Control Nightmares This Summer?
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The Detour Editor Katy is a budget travel aficionado who has already travelled to more than 50 countries. Whether she's at home or on a foreign adventure, she has a particular talent for stumbling upon tasty Georgian restaurants. |
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“I’d like to know your views on the new EES system which is due to roll out in April ‘26. I’m a UK passport holder travelling to Kos in August and concerned about the potential delays at passport control.”
Hey there, Traveller! Great topic, and very timely too.
Since October 2025, countries in the Schengen Zone have been rolling out the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). By collecting your biometric data upon arrival (photo & fingerprints), countries within the zone are aiming to track visitors more consistently and ensure that nobody is overstaying their welcome.
This doesn’t feel like anything new in terms of border control techniques (I’ve been attempting not to make silly faces in photos at international borders for years), so you’d think it wouldn’t be a big deal. However, when you try to get 29 countries to roll out one system across 500+ airports, all major ferry ports, land border crossings, etc., things get a little complicated.
Anyone entering the Schengen area on a non-EU passport will now need to go through the process of biometric checks upon arrival. Well, probably.
Like you, reader, airports and border control agents are getting anxious about the surge in summer visitors possibly leading to utter chaos at immigration. For that reason, the EU has confirmed that, although April 9th is still the legal deadline for implementation, all countries have the ability to pause the EES checks for up to 90 days after that date. They’ve also given the possibility of a further 60-day extension on that, with early September as the final final deadline.
All that to say, you may not even have to deal with the new EES system upon your arrival in Kos. But if you do, there’s no knowing whether it’ll be hellish or plain sailing. We asked our Facebook community for their experiences so far, and it really was a mixed bag. |
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“Really quick with lunchtime arrival in Vienna on February 16th. Through in under 10 minutes.” - Susan
“Straight through in Lille, took seconds, and in Fuerteventura they had specific machines for people who hadn’t previously done theirs and no queues at all.” - Sally
“Barcelona last month - easy peasy and done in no time.” - Liz
“Alicante in January, returned Feb…no issue.” - Lesley |
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“Been through Faro (where we did our prints and photos done on the way in) and Rome Ciampino. In Rome when I scanned my passport an official told me to go with him, I was a bit worried but it was just to get my passport stamped and I went straight through. Unfortunately because he was dealing with me, he missed my husband who had to go through the whole process and was almost last through! Teething problems!” - Fiona
“Two very different experiences. One was 2 hours (Tromso), and the other was all automated with self-service scanners! I was pleasantly surprised at Tenerife.” - Sophia
“When I went to Spain, there were some new, very confusing lines, and none of the staff really knew which queues to put people in. When I got to the desk at the front, a grumpy man told me to look into the camera, then do my fingerprints, and that was it. It took around 30-40 minutes, I think, but that was mostly down to the lack of organization; they had people switching queues constantly.” - Lauren
“I’ve been through various, and I think depends upon destination. Montpellier in France is a regular trip, and time-wise for me at least, nothing is out of the ordinary. Did experience about an hour delay at Prague, where they seemed to be struggling, and it took about 40 mins at CDG Paris.” - Simon
“We went through with Eurostar in Paris on Wednesday. It was fine and quick for me, but then our train was delayed because so many people, who had arrived at the time the email and tickets told them to arrive, were stuck in big queues at security.
I think, to be honest, it was the bag scanning that slowed it down there, as the staff manning that section could not have been less helpful.” - Danielle |
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“Scanner took a while to scan the passport, and the fingerprint scanner didn't work at all no matter how hard or soft you pressed! (Leeds/Bradford) so had to go the usual route anyway, and the queue was enormous!! So it wasn’t just us that had a problem.” - Jules
“2 hours to get into Krakow…” - Beverley
“A nightmare in Lanzarote. Not clear what to do. Those that didn't scan their passports couldn't then get through passport control at the gate. All UK flights were delayed last night.” - Anon
“Scanners "down" at Lanzarote on way in and took ages to get them back up, so there were big queues. There was no one easily found to ask questions of, and I could see that some of the questions might take some folk down rabbit holes” - Karen |
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The main thing I’m taking away from all these stories is that it really varies wildly from airport to airport. Anyone arriving in the Schengen Zone on a non-Schengen passport this summer should plan to queue for at least 30 minutes at border control. If the EES system is in use, many people will be going through for the first time and will need to register their details, causing delays. If it’s not in use, you’ll still have to wait for a manual check and/or stamping.
If you’re on a tight schedule, book seats close to the front of the plane so you’re first off. Don’t stop to use the facilities on your way—plan ahead and use the toilet on the plane before landing. And it’s always worth making sure you have your roaming or eSIM sorted in advance so you can keep on top of your transport plans during delays.
Waiting in a line for hours isn’t fun for anyone; however, I would suggest doing your best to go into the situation expecting it but not dreading it. It is what it is, and it will be over eventually. That sentiment may be particularly beneficial for anyone heading to Lanzarote, it seems!
But if you’re lucky, reader, Kos will have you through border control in under ten minutes, and you’ll be sailing off into the Grecian sunset in no time. |
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It’s worth noting that the EES system is linked to the new Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) in Europe, similar to the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that the UK brought in this week. While visitors to the UK need an ETA already, ETIAS will only be necessary from late 2026 and won’t be a problem for your August trip. However, keep an eye out for updates if you’re travelling again later in the year.
I hope this helps you feel a little more prepared for your upcoming trip, reader. It may not be plain sailing, but it shouldn’t be the end of the world. Do let us know how it goes once you’re back!
Have you been through the new EES system already? Share your experiences in the comments! |
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Calling All Vicarious Travelers...
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We love seeing the bargain Flights you, our fantastic Community, have bagged, and hearing stories from your trips. It helps us all travel vicariously through each other when we can't be out on an adventure ourselves.
Here are some of our fave moments of escapism from the last month: |
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"Always wanted to do a safari and the cheap flight offer defo made it doable for me!! Best trip ever!" - Postcard from DynamicVoyager84378 |
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