Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has issued a warning to passengers travelling through Europe this summer, saying the airline will not delay departures for travellers caught in lengthy passport control queues caused by the new Entry/Exit System (EES) border checks.
The budget airline chief said passengers who fail to reach the boarding gate before it closes should expect their flight to leave without them, even if delays at immigration are beyond their control.
Speaking on The Telegraph’s Travel Expert podcast, O’Leary said Ryanair’s priority was passengers who arrive at the gate on time.
“We will not wait for anybody. Our priority is those passengers who are at the boarding gate when boarding starts,” he said.
“If you’re not at the boarding gate when we finish boarding, the plane is going without you.”
The comments come after the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) was fully introduced in April 2026. The automated border control system applies to non-EU travellers, including British passport holders, entering the Schengen Area across 29 countries.
Since its rollout, several European airports have reported significant delays, with some passengers missing flights after spending hours waiting at passport control.
Ryanair has been one of the strongest critics of the system, calling on European governments to temporarily suspend EES checks during the peak summer travel season.
O’Leary said some airports were experiencing unacceptable waiting times.
“There are about 15 airports where there are real problems, two, three hour waits at border control which to my mind is unacceptable.”
The Ryanair boss highlighted several airports struggling with long queues, including Athens, Lisbon and Madrid, warning that travellers need to plan ahead.
He advised passengers to arrive earlier than usual and allow additional time for border checks.
“They have to show up at the airport earlier, but they have to be at the boarding gate otherwise they’re not flying,” he said.
Ryanair previously contacted governments across the 29 EES countries, urging them to delay the system’s introduction until after the busy summer travel period to prevent disruption.
Passengers Left Behind After Border Delays
The warning follows an incident in May when a Ryanair flight from Toulouse to London Stansted departed without around 150 passengers who were delayed at border control.
Travellers on flight FR282 said airport conditions were chaotic, with hundreds of passengers reportedly stuck in queues and struggling to reach their gates before boarding closed.
O’Leary said passengers affected by missing flights due to immigration delays generally have limited protection.
“You don’t have any, which is regrettable, but we’re not delaying our flights for people who are stuck in passport control queues.”
Airlines Push Governments Over EES Problems
Ryanair has criticised several countries for failing to prepare enough staff and infrastructure for the new system.
The airline said airports in Spain, including Málaga, Alicante and Tenerife South, had experienced severe delays, while other affected locations include airports in Italy and France.
The company has argued that governments had several years to prepare for the EES rollout but failed to ensure sufficient staffing levels and border control capacity.
As European travel enters its busiest period, passengers are being urged to arrive earlier, complete all required travel documents, and allow extra time for new digital border procedures.