People heading to EU countries have been given a welcome boost after new security plans were postponed. Travellers had already faced long queues last year as new rules were implemented following Brexit.
But even worse delays were feared for those going abroad from a non-EU country this year as new fingerprint tests were due to be imposed from May. The information, together with a photograph of the traveller and a scan of their passport would then be kept for five years.
With Britain leaving the EU through Brexit it meant people from this country could face major delays when they went to one of the popular holiday destinations. Many already faced hold-ups last year at peak holiday times when there were serious delays at Dover and St Pancras International - and that was before the new scheme came into force.
Some estimates said they believed the additional checks, known as the Entry Exit System, could see the wait increase by “up to four times", according to The Mirror. However although they will still be put in place, this has now been put back as EU border controls are not yet ready.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said: "The EES system will be a game changer for how the EU’s borders are managed. There are, however, a number of issues which must be resolved to ensure a smooth roll out and operation of the new system so that air passengers do not face disruptions."
It included the reasons for delays as the need for further automation and resources at borders, funding so that all staff are sufficiently trained and sufficient communication for non-EU countries so that they are aware that it is happening.
The IATA said: "The aviation industry is fully behind the roll out of EES and is committed to working with the EU and national authorities for a successful implementation. But it is important the EU and national authorities address industry concerns and provide efficient coordination for an effective implementation."
The association of airlines added that the pause in the rollout will help so that all can be better prepared. "Postponing the implementation until after the busy 2023 summer period will give airlines, airports, EU and national authorities the opportunity to resolve these issues and ensure the system is fully tested," the IATA continued in a statement.
"We therefore urge all those involved to make the best use of the extra time now available to address the outstanding issues and ensure enough resources are deployed for its introduction. A new start date for EES should be set to ensure continued smooth aviation operations and in particular trouble-free processing of passengers at airports. This will help deliver the time savings the European Commission identified as the biggest benefit of EES."
Under the new rules all non-EU nationality visitors must have a photo and their fingerprints taken, as well as their passport scanned, on a first trip to the bloc. The data will then be stored for five years.
