Europe EES queue?

[SYD]

Just “departed” the Schengen zone at HEL and it was a breeze compared to MXP “entering”.

Semi-manual processing. Rock up to a manned booth (there was zero line at 11:30a). Finger print, photo and thru to AY Platinum lounge. Took only a minute or so. The walk from the connecting flight was ~15mins!

 

[jb747]

and it was a breeze compared to MXP “entering”.

My wife will be entering via MXP in a couple of months, from the early morning SQ flight. How long did it take?

I'm going via Athens, but don't have anything else to do that day....

 

[Peter DHU]

Greece turned theirs off. So relatively easy to enter Greece. Late flight and into a non-major airport (Heraklion) may have helped.

 

[square]

Sorry guys for asking this but I couldn't find the thread.

How are the queues at Frankfurt arrivals now?
For those needing to the EES thing at arrival

I'm flying over in mid Sept and would like to book a domestic flight within Germany so unsure how much time to allow.

Flew into Frankfurt on 7th August with Sri Lankan arriving at 7am in the morning in J and took an hour to get through

 

[SYD]

My wife will be entering via MXP in a couple of months, from the early morning SQ flight. How long did it take?

About 1 hr from plane to lounge (arrived CX ~8am connecting to AY).

Our first time at MXP, so not at all familiar with the transfer process.

Followed signs to Arrivals/Transfers until we hit the first batch of kiosks / eGates but there was a further “Transfers” sign pointing to the right. I asked staff and she directed us to the kiosks to register. That wasn’t too bad but painfully watching a bunch of peeps off another flight who were obviously not match fit. Plus, MXP ask a bunch random questions (how much money, do you have accommodation, favourite colour, and some quite specific to Italy but we were in transit… - apparently FCO doesn’t have all those questions).

Anyway, then directed to the “Purple” line for non-EU PP holders to get processed via eGates.

Joined the line that wasn’t moving at all and just got bigger. Then a whole bunch of us were escorted by Mother Duck to another set of eGates down a corridor. The line moved slowly but got thru - finger print and facial recognition. It’s the finger printing that slows everything. The gate doesn’t open unless you remove your fingers but it doesn’t prompt you to remove them…

Then we find ourselves in baggage claim but our luggage is checked thru. No way back airside without going full landslide, back up and thru primary security - which was a bit of a zoo…

 

[epakern]

Arrived via SQ into BRU at around 7am in early August to find all the new EES booths turned off and roped off, very short queue and just took some fingerprints at the manned booth. Took about 4 minutes

 

[clifford]

I've only been thru ATH (in June), which as a UK passport holder was a bit of a breeze, Not so much for non-UK passport holders, such as Americans,, where the queues were huge.

I'm travelling to the EU again later this month, and entering thru ATH again, exiting via FCO, but I don't expect that to be a major issue. As for other EU countries, I avoid them like the plague for now. They decided to make it difficult for visitors, and visitors have taken note...

After my trip later this month, I won't be hurrying back to continental (EU) Europe. Trips to the UK will be fine and then perhaps Albania, Monengro, Cyprus and Turkey.

 

[Katja]

I landed at FRA T1 at 2130 last week, queue was very short, took 27 minutes from landing to buying my S-Bahn ticket. Flew in from UK.
Leaving was an entirely different experience, the line was ridiculous, all booths were open. Was in line for just over an hour.

Interestingly, I’d entered and departed another country via the EES system system a few weeks earlier, but FRA stamped my passport, so not sure if they’d turned the system off for summer holidays or if the chaos is just standard for Frankfurt.

 

[Katja]

I've only been thru ATH (in June), which as a UK passport holder was a bit of a breeze, Not so much for non-UK passport holders, such as Americans,, where the queues were huge.

I'm travelling to the EU again later this month, and entering thru ATH again, exiting via FCO, but I don't expect that to be a major issue. As for other EU countries, I avoid them like the plague for now. They decided to make it difficult for visitors, and visitors have taken note...

After my trip later this month, I won't be hurrying back to continental (EU) Europe. Trips to the UK will be fine and then perhaps Albania, Monengro, Cyprus and Turkey.

Albania is ridiculously easy with their fully functioning e-gates. Wish I could say the same for some other countries.

 

[pks]

Arrived via SQ into BRU at around 7am in early August to find all the new EES booths turned off and roped off, very short queue and just took some fingerprints at the manned booth. Took about 4 minutes

We had a similar experience arriving into Bordeaux from LHR recently - through in less than 5 mins