London/Prague—EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis used a 21 May interview with ITV News to deliver his bluntest warning yet about the EU’s new border controls: "It’s completely unacceptable to leave passengers in hour-long queues when the infrastructure has been planned since 2017." Jarvis called on member states to apply the flexibility built into the Entry/Exit System (EES) to avoid peak-time gridlock—and singled out Prague and Milan as airports where crews have already "timed-out" because of delays. EasyJet operates 48 weekly rotations between Prague and British or Dutch hubs. According to the carrier, three evening departures from Václav Havel Airport were delayed more than 55 minutes during the mid-May bank-holiday rush, pushing crews beyond regulated duty hours and forcing the airline to off-load passengers. Replacement tickets and duty-of-care costs topped €62 000 across the weekend. Czech travel agents say the public criticism gives them leverage to negotiate service-level guarantees from airports. "Corporate accounts pay a premium for predictability," notes Jiří Novák of CWT Czechia. "If border congestion persists, CFOs will green-light rail instead of short-haul air within Central Europe—Prague–Vienna and even Prague–Berlin are viable by train." In response, Prague Airport reiterated that 70 % of EasyJet’s customers now clear immigration via automated gates and that average queue times fell to 18 minutes by 19 May. Nevertheless, the airport confirmed it will trial ‘border express lanes’ for passengers with carry-on only, modelled on Amsterdam’s pilot.
![EasyJet Chief Blasts ‘Unacceptable’ EU Border Queues as Prague Routes Feel the Squeeze]()
Travel managers preparing for the EES transition may also want to tap VisaHQ’s expertise: the platform (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) streamlines Schengen-zone visa checks, biometric appointments, and real-time status tracking for anyone heading to Prague or elsewhere in the EU—helping companies avoid last-minute document snags that can amplify airport delays.
For mobility managers the message is clear: build larger buffers into door-to-door schedules, pre-enrol travellers in the EES smartphone pre-registration app when it launches in June, and review duty-of-care clauses with airlines. As Jarvis warned, "Peak-season chaos is not inevitable—but without action, it’s the default."
Travel managers preparing for the EES transition may also want to tap VisaHQ’s expertise: the platform (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) streamlines Schengen-zone visa checks, biometric appointments, and real-time status tracking for anyone heading to Prague or elsewhere in the EU—helping companies avoid last-minute document snags that can amplify airport delays.
For mobility managers the message is clear: build larger buffers into door-to-door schedules, pre-enrol travellers in the EES smartphone pre-registration app when it launches in June, and review duty-of-care clauses with airlines. As Jarvis warned, "Peak-season chaos is not inevitable—but without action, it’s the default."
