Extra checks at passprt control

[Susan K]

I have been reading in the press about the delays at European airports as a result of extra checks at passport control. Has anyone experienced any delays upon arrival/departure?

Thanks

[JBMouse]

Are you solely concerned with Chania or Heraklion?
We will be going to Heraklion in October, as we always do, and I am hoping that as it is a relatively quiet time of year, there will be little delay. I suspect the press is looking at mass tourism destinations, at peak season, with many flights from the UK and outside Schengen areas, where there will inevitably be delays due to the greater number of tourists. The smaller, quieter airports shouldn't be too bad.
We landed in Mytiline (Lesvos) in June this year, and did notice that the passport check was properly thorough, you had to hand the passport to the border guard, and details were entered/checked on their computer, something that has rarely happened in the recent past, so there was a small delay, but as Mytiline gets so few UK flights ( 2 a week this year!!) I don't thing it will ever be a problem there, nor at Kalamata airport, where we also go each year, and is smaller still than Mytiline.
Leaving Greece posed no extra problems, just waved through!
Heraklion can be a nightmare at busy times, so lets hope any extra security won't make it worse, never had the pleasure of flying in to Chania, but views expressed here on the forum suggest it is a nicer experience than Heraklion.
P.S. only 10 weeks to go to Plakias!!!!!

[teignkall]

From the little I have read in the news it appears mostly to be affecting Spain, France, and Holland. Who have all introduced the new regulations earlier than required, (should start in October).

[Susan K]

I am flying in to Heraklion, but my friend is flying in to Chania on the same day. I don't mind the extra checks, but as we are travelling independently, we would like to know if we need to allow extra time.

[teignkall]

I don't think you will have any extra delay or additional security checks from uk airports, the additional checks and delays, if any in Greece, will be on arrival and departure at a Schengen airport. If passengers need to be at a uk airport before the 2 hours they should be notified by the airline. What these extra checks from the eu mean to the API information which we have to supply to airlines prior to a flight is any body's guess, as the API is supposed to enable the security services to thoroughly check all passengers before they fly.

[Susan K]

I don't think you will have any extra delay or additional security checks from uk airports, the additional checks and delays, if any in Greece, will be on arrival and departure at a Schengen airport. If passengers need to be at a uk airport before the 2 hours they should be notified by the airline. What these extra checks from the eu mean to the API information which we have to supply to airlines prior to a flight is any body's guess, as the API is supposed to enable the security services to thoroughly check all passengers before they fly.

Thanks it was the Greek airports I was referring to

[FionaCW]

Hmm...this is an extract on google -  presumably on the first day but can't find anything else on-line about ongoing issue at Heraklion - maybe someone due to arrive there can update us.

MPs hit back after passengers blame huge passport queues at ...

https://www.thesun.co.uk/.../mps-hit-back-passengers-blaming-european-airport-queues-...
20 hours ago - Queues were seen stretching out the door in Heraklion Airport, Crete, ... He told The Sun Online: “It is ridiculous to blame these ongoing problems at passport control on Brexit. ... Some passengers who made their flight even claimed planes were taking ... Delays at #EU airports are due to EU law #not Brexit.

[John R]

I looked at the photo of the queue at Heraklion airport and could see it was a queue of passengers still with all their luggage. That means they were in a checkin queue and not an immigration control queue. Checkin queues outside the doors of Heraklion airport are not exactly uncommon at very busy times such as now. The same article says "Greece, Denmark and Austria are expected to adopt the new rules sometime over the next few weeks." so there may indeed be problems of this nature at Heraklion fairly soon (when we are there in September !!)

[Arnaki]

Just to put your minds at rest, there were no delays on entry at passport control at Heraklion on Tuesday. Only a glance, a smile and a thank you.

[FionaCW]

That's good news.....don't want anything getting in the way of us getting down to Plakias.  On the way home you're conditioned in a way to potential queuing at the airport and no seats in the terminal depending on flight times of course and how busy the airport is.  But arriving with that glorious 17 nights stretching ahead of you.....wahoo !!

[teignkall]

In today's newspaper it says Greece does not intend to implement the additional security checks until 7th October this year. Which I believe is around the time it was meant to commence in all EU country's .

[Susan K]

In today's newspaper it says Greece does not intend to implement the additional security checks until 7th October this year. Which I believe is around the time it was meant to commence in all EU country's .

That's very good news

[teignkall]

An off topic enquirery, JBMouse you mentioned you were in Lesvos in June, where do you fly from as we were regular visitors to Skala Kalloni until the flights stopped from Manchester.