Since 10 April, the new Entry Exit System for non-EU passport holders has been in place. It has been widely reported that people have experienced delays when arriving in European countries. However, what no one really talks about is the delays when exiting those countries.
Carrot Cars has already experienced a number of rebookings because some of our customers have missed their flights. That is exactly why we wanted to highlight this possible issue, so that you do not repeat the same mistake.
So what is really happening?
The trap lies at those airports where passport control is located after security, duty-free and restaurant areas. People arrive at the airport with what feels like plenty of spare time, then relax in the waiting areas, have something to eat, and assume the stressful part is already behind them.
Then, when the time comes to start moving towards the departure gates, they suddenly realise that the queues at passport control are far too long to make it to their flight in time.
This is obviously a very serious situation.
So here is a simple trick that will cost you only five minutes of your time, but could save your nervous system from unnecessary stress, and perhaps also save you thousands of pounds in new plane tickets.
Before settling down in any waiting area, take a walk towards your gate, but only if you have not already gone through passport control. Check whether there are any queues there. If not, then you can come back and have your well-deserved croissant with a cappuccino.
Also bear in mind that if you are waiting in the seating area for a longer period, it is worth checking a second or even third time, because the situation can change very fast.
Airports worth checking in advance
Below are official airport pages in English which mention passport or document control for non Schengen departures, or at least mention the recommended arrival time for non Schengen flights. Please note that layouts can still vary by terminal, airline and route, so this list is not there to panic you. It is simply there to help you check before you settle down too early in the resting area.
Brussels Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport
Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport
Valencia Airport
César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport
Fuerteventura Airport
Gran Canaria Airport
Tenerife Sur Airport
Internacional Región de Murcia Airport
Reus Airport
Ibiza Airport
Bilbao Airport
Sevilla Airport
Girona-Costa Brava Airport
Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport
Tenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna Airport
Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport
Valladolid Airport
Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport
Almería Airport
San Sebastián Airport
La Palma Airport
Menorca Airport
If you do experience the unfortunate situation of missing your flight, then please contact Carrot Cars’ 24 hour bookings team immediately and we will do our best to rearrange your airport pickup service.
Please also remember that all cancellations made up to 3 hours before the pickup time are not chargeable by Carrot Cars.
We are always here to support and help you.
