Talk Quesada forum

British newspapers this morning reporting big delays at some european airports due to tighter passport checks on flights from non-schengen countries - see link to Times article below. Any problems coming through Alicante recently?

Holidaymakers hit by delays after EU tightens entry rules | The Times
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/holi ... 457378b681

I came through Friday 28th July, no problems at all.

The new pasport check is pathetic if you get more than one flight at a time I would not say it is because they have tightened up just slow especialy when people don't know how to use the machines.

I flew back to Alicante on 10th July, and it was bedlam. A few flights had landed more or less at the same time, and the queues were massive. The e passport procedure seems to be slower-people don't know what to do, and usually put the passport in the wrong way, or don't look into the scanner long enough..It might have just been a one off, I'll soon know when I come back on the 22nd August!

Not much difference than going through passport control in UK, TBH.

marcliff wrote:Not much difference than going through passport control in UK, TBH.

I agree! In fact it's easier at Alicante but not as easy as it used to be, now it has the biometric machines (takes the pressure off the human checkers) We found in Alicante it's quicker to use the queue for the manual checks at present, as the machines are a newish thing there and until people get used to them there will be slower and longer queues at the machines.

In the UK (Gatwick) at peak seasons and times its much easier to use the machines as there are quite a few of them and they have been there long enough for most people to get used to them.

We came through last Saturday about midnight and there was no passport control!!

They only introduced the passport checks on a regular basis after the terrorist attacks in Europe. Most of the time it was just wave the passport at the guy on the gate if he was there. Most of the time he wasn't.
The UK press are playing it up as getting back at the Brits for Brexit but then go on to say it applies to all non-Schengen countries which includes Ireland and others.

Well, it is August and newspaper 'silly season'... So maybe they are just trying to ramp anything up....

Picked my niece up at 00.35,40 minutes after landing she came through,over 10 minutes waiting for pushchair so no problem just bull---t talk