British tourists endure long delays at European airports after EU toughens border controls

Passengers arriving at airports in Spain, France and Italy being forced to stand in immigration lines for 'up to four hours'

A4E warned that the situation could worsen in the coming weeks as the new regulations have not yet been fully implemented (AFP/Getty)

Tourists arriving at European airports are waiting up to four hours to be allowed entry after border controls were increased.

British holidaymakers have been warned they face longer waiting times because of more extensive immigration checks.

A shortage of border control agents is thought to have exacerbated the problem.

Under previous rules, British passengers only had their passports inspected briefly.

But, following a series of terror attacks across the Continent, each passenger from a country outside the Schengen area – a zone where passport control has been abolished – must be checked against a database.

Passengers arriving at airports in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Belgium are being forced to stand in immigration lines for “up to four hours”, according to Airlines For Europe (A4E).

A4E managing director Thomas Reynaert said: “Travellers face long lines and can’t get on their flights. Queuing for up to four hours has been the top record these days.

“Airports like Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Lisbon, Lyon, Paris-Orly, Milan or Brussels are producing shameful pictures of devastated passengers in front of immigration booths, in lines stretching hundreds of metres.

“At some airports, flight delays have increased by 300 per cent compared to last year.”

A4E warned that the situation could worsen in the coming weeks as the new regulations have not yet been fully implemented. The six-month period to put the enhanced checks in place ends on 7 October.

Mr Reynaert urged the countries affected to “deploy appropriate staff and resources” to carry out the checks.

“Member states need to take all necessary measures now to prevent such disruptions,” he added.

A spokesperson for travel trade organisation Abta said: “New, stricter passport checks are resulting in longer queues at some airports, including Palma, which is already busy due to a significant increase in passenger numbers.

“Tour operators will ensure that customers get to the airport in plenty of time so that they are not in danger of missing their flights.

“However, independent travellers will need to check the situation with their airlines and, where necessary, ensure they factor these longer queuing times into their travel plans when flying in and out of the airport.

“It is also extremely important that border control check points are sufficiently resourced so that queuing times are kept to a minimum.”

Additional reporting by Press Association