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Malaga Airport Sees Hour-Plus Queues as EU Entry‑Exit System Rolls Out

Officials attribute the holdups to first‑time biometric registration under the phased rollout.

Overview

  • On Thursday, passport control lines at Malaga stretched beyond an hour, with reports of mostly UK‑bound passengers delayed.
  • Airport management acknowledged occasional longer waits that day and said the new EU border system was the likely cause.
  • The Entry‑Exit System has been in place at Malaga since 20 October with generally normal operations, though congestion occurs at peak times.
  • Authorities say many delays involve British travellers who must clear non‑EU border checks post‑Brexit and may be unfamiliar with the process.
  • Spain is investing €83 million to upgrade border posts as EES replaces passport stamping with biometric records during a six‑month transition to 10 April 2026.