EasyJet Milan Flight Leaves 122 Passengers Amid EES Border Chaos

Over one hundred passengers were left stranded at Milan Linate Airport (LIN) after their flight departed for Manchester without them, a direct consequence of severe border control delays caused by the European Union's new Entry/Exit System. The incident involved easyJet flight EJU5420 on April 12, which took off with only 34 passengers on board, leaving 122 ticketed travelers behind in the terminal. The disruption highlights systemic challenges facing airports and airlines following the full implementation of the new biometric border checks for non-EU nationals.

The chaos at Milan Linate is a potent example of the operational friction created by the new regulations. Passengers reported waiting in passport control queues for up to three hours. The bottleneck stemmed from the recently activated Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated IT system that requires non-EU nationals to register biometric details. For many UK travelers, this was their first encounter with the new rules, which came into full effect on April 10, 2026. While designed to enhance security, the system's rollout has created significant processing delays, leaving passengers to bear the immediate consequences, including missed flights and substantial personal expense to arrange alternative travel.

Airline and Airport Response

In response to the incident, easyJet stated that the situation was outside of its control. The airline confirmed it held the aircraft for nearly an hour beyond its scheduled departure time in an attempt to accommodate the delayed passengers. However, the departure was ultimately forced by crew duty regulations. According to the airline, the flight crew was approaching its maximum legal operating hours as mandated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). These Flight Time Limitations (FTL) are strict safety regulations designed to prevent crew fatigue. Exceeding them would have resulted in the flight's cancellation and further disruption.

An easyJet spokesperson called the EES-related waits 'unacceptable' and urged border authorities to use permitted flexibilities to manage the queues. The airline offered the 122 affected passengers a free flight transfer. However, for many, the immediate financial and logistical impact was severe. One group of travelers reported having to book new flights to London Gatwick and pay an additional £400 for a taxi to retrieve their car from Manchester Airport.

Widespread Disruption from EES Rollout

The events at Milan are not an isolated case. Airport trade body ACI Europe has reported that the EES rollout is causing holdups of two to three hours at peak times across the continent. A pilot program at Brussels Airport just days before the full rollout resulted in nearly 600 missed flights over a four-day period, prompting Belgian authorities to temporarily suspend biometric data collection. This pattern suggests a systemic issue with the implementation and resourcing of the new border system, rather than a one-off failure at a single airport.

The core of the issue lies in the conflict between two separate regulatory frameworks: the EU's security-focused EES and EASA's safety-focused FTL. While airlines are under pressure from passengers to wait, they are legally bound by FTL rules, creating a no-win situation. The European Commission maintains the system is functioning as designed, blaming member states for inadequate staffing. Airlines, in turn, deflect liability, arguing that state-run border control is not their responsibility.

Historical Parallels and Future Outlook

This situation has historical precedents. During the summer of 2022, severe security staffing shortages at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport led to similar mass-missed flights. In that instance, Schiphol introduced a compensation scheme to reimburse passengers for their losses—a pattern that raises questions about airport liability in the current EES crisis. The more direct parallel, the Brussels EES pilot, demonstrates that authorities are willing to pause the system when disruption becomes unmanageable, a flexibility ACI Europe director general Oliver Jankovek insists is necessary to protect Europe's reputation.

Travelers should be aware of the ongoing challenges. The official UK government guidance on the EU Entry/Exit System advises passengers to allow for extra time at European airports. Looking ahead, the situation may be further complicated by the planned implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), another layer of pre-travel screening, expected in late 2026.

Why This Matters

This incident is more than a story of travel disruption; it signals a fundamental clash between new European security protocols and the operational realities of the aviation industry. For UK travelers, it marks a significant change in the ease of travel to the Schengen Area, introducing delays and financial risk. For airlines and airports, it creates a complex challenge of managing passenger flow and crew schedules against a backdrop of rigid, conflicting regulations, with the question of financial liability still largely unresolved.