The airline has shared advice for passengers who are worried they could miss their flight
Jet2 has shared a ‘two to three hours’ tip for passengers worried about passport control queues. Some passengers have reported long queues at airports following new border checks.
As of spring 2026, the new European Entry/Exit System (EES) border checks include biometric data collection. Under the new rules, travellers from outside the EU, including those from the UK, will need to register their fingerprints and take photos at the border. Airlines have warned that passengers may experience longer queues while the checks are being completed.
Jet2 has issued advice for passengers worried they could get stuck in long queues and miss their flight. The airline offered advice on X, when a customer messaged the budget carrier and shared their concerns.
Taking to social media, Elaine Durrington wrote: “Jet2tweets Hi. We leave Faro for Liverpool on 19th April. Please could you advise what time we should arrive. We don’t need to check in any baggage. Thank you.”
The airline replied: “Hi Elaine, thank you for getting in touch. Our check-in desks open from two hours thirty minutes before standard departure time. Please feel free to check in from this time. I hope this helps. If there’s anything further we can assist you with, please do let us know. Thank you, Rachel.”
Elaine asked for further clarification. In her response, she claimed: “Hi Rachel. We don’t need to check in. I’m concerned that people departing Faro have been missing flights due to queues at passport control, which is why I was asking how early we should arrive – going straight to security.”
However, Jet2 revealed there is ‘no strict rule’ for passengers. The airline said passengers who arrive two to three hours before their flight generally don’t have any issues.
Jet2 added that its team would contact customers with advice if they were expecting congestion at their departure airport. The airline wrote: “Hi Elaine, there isn’t a strict rule. If you arrive two to three hours before your flight, you can usually head straight through security with no issues. If you arrive much earlier, you might have to wait landside until your flight is closer to departure.”
They added: “In the instance that our teams are expecting congestion at your departure airport, our teams would contact you via SMS/email to further advise. We hope you have a lovely flight with us. Thank you, Rachel.”
For passengers travelling with Jet2, the airline’s website offers airport information and an FAQ section for customers with booking queries. More information about the EU Entry/Exit System is available on GOV.UK.
