Earlier this month, it was reported that Wizz Air is urging all passengers to arrive at the airport three hours before their flight due to new border control checks introduced. Managing director Yvonne Moynihan warned that tourists have missed their return or connecting flights due to long airport queues since the introduction of the Entry Exit System (EES).

Issues were raised when the system was introduced in April, but as more people head through airports this summer for the first time since rules changed, passengers could experience delays. Posting to TikTok, travel specialist Kate Donnelly (@Thedonnellyedit) claims that the latest advice from the budget airline is “useless” for most people travelling this summer.

She said: “We know when you’re travelling short haul that the general advice is to get to the airport two hours before your flight. Wizz Air is advising that people get there three hours ahead of their departure in order to beat the queues and limit the risk of actually missing their flight because of the EES system.

“So, while this advice appears sensible, the reality is that most check-in desks only open two hours before departure, in some cases two and a half hours.” Kate claims that only certain passengers would benefit from arriving at the airport three hours before take-off.

Information that is directly available on Wizz Air’s website (as of June 7) reads: “Airport check-in and baggage drop-off start two hours and close 40 minutes before departure. It’s worth noting that at some airports, the check-in desk may open or close earlier.”

Almost all airports listed with an earlier-than-standard check-in time are international. London’s Luton Airport was the only UK airport with different rules, with check-in desks that open “180 minutes (three hours) before the scheduled time of departure” for all travellers.

Kate did claim that people travelling with hand luggage only might also be some of the few who benefit from arriving early. By not having luggage to weigh and drop off, the process becomes much quicker and passengers “would be allowed to get straight through security and into duty-free”.

The airport itself remains one of the biggest factors that could lead to delays, even for the earliest arrivals. Kate claims: “A lot of airports have more than one border control, meaning that you are still going to have to wait until the announcement is made for your gate so that you know which border control you need to go to.”

What is the general advice about getting to the airport?

Kate said: “If you are travelling to the Schengen area this summer, two hours before your departure is enough time, based on the fact that the airport processes have not changed. Unless [airlines] decide to start opening up check-in desks earlier and announcing gates sooner, you might as well stick with the two hour rule.”

The Schengen area is a large, border-free travel zone that includes 29 European countries. It includes plenty of summer holiday hotspots like Spain, Turkey and Greece – meaning a lot of holidaymakers will face EES checks.

Delays come from first-time EES users who must scan their passport, have a facial photo taken, and provide a four-fingerprint scan (children under 12 are exempt from fingerprints, but not photos). This creates a digital record that lasts for three years, and on future trips within that period, travellers only need to scan their passport and provide one biometric (photo or fingerprint).