Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy says agents should see more demand for holidays to Greece after the country announced it is easing new entry and exit checks for British visitors.
The operator said it had ‘extensively lobbied’ representatives in Greece and other European destinations, urging them to delay the introduction of the EU Entry/Exist System (EES).
The Greek authorities have now told British visitors they don’t have to go through biometric checks that came into effect earlier this month as part of EES.
“We applaud the Greek authorities for acting in the best interests of UK holidaymakers,” said Steve. “We believe that pausing EES checks, until systems and processes are ready, will result in a much better experience for our customers and we are pleased to see that the Greek authorities agree.
“We expect a quick response in terms of demand for holidays to Greece as a result of this move, and we urge other countries to follow this common-sense approach and put holidaymakers first.”
Greek National Tourist Organisation Secretary General Andreas Fiorentinos said: “Following Jet2’s recent announcement welcoming Greece’s decision to temporarily suspend biometric checks for British travellers under the EES system, Greece reaffirms its commitment to providing a smooth and visitor-friendly travel experience. Tourism remains a top government priority and a key pillar of the Greek economy.
“Special thanks are due to Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis for his swift and effective intervention, which helped ensure efficient procedures for UK visitors. UK holidaymakers are vital to Greek tourism, and facilitating their travel to Greece remains a strategic priority for the country.”
There are reports Spain is also taking steps to ease border control queues. The Majorcan Daily Bulletin said frontline staff at some airports have been told they may temporarily divert families and passengers with reduced mobility to traditional stamping queues when the wait in biometric queues exceeds 25 minutes.
They may also stagger flight arrivals in coordination with AENA’s slot management team. These measures are ‘adjustments, not a suspension’ and biometric capture remains mandatory for first-time registrants.
See also: Foreign Office updates advice for Greece after it relaxes EES rules
