Outgoing Passport Control Delays at LIN
Nov 27, 2017, 11:00 am
#1
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Outgoing Passport Control Delays at LIN
I have been warned by BA to arrive at LIN 90 minutes before departure because of passport control delays. I wonder if anyone had any recent experience of this and more importantly whether there is a fast track which might cut the time down?
Thanks a lot!
Thanks a lot!
Nov 27, 2017, 11:06 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2015
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Not LIN, but I had a similar message in early November for LIS. Passport control was busier than one might expect, so I saw the reason for BA’s message, but we were through the EU passports channel inside 15 mins.
Nov 27, 2017, 11:12 am
#3
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The lounge is before passport control, so you go when they call you, wasn't a queue recently but that was a Sunday afternoon
Nov 27, 2017, 1:21 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2009
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No fast track at passports I’m afraid however there’s no need to worry as you’ll normally find 3/4 manned booths at peak times, meaning a maximum waiting time ranging between 10 and 15 minutes, or that’s at least what I’ve been experiencing so far. That said, I’d leave some extra time if you’re booked on the 3:35PM service to Heathrow, mostly considering that there will be a couple of other flights (AZ to LCY, U2 to LGW and Blue Air to Bucharest if memory serves right) departing from the very same area (which can indeed get extremely crowded).
G
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Last edited by AlicorporateUK; Nov 27, 2017 at 1:27 pm
Nov 27, 2017, 1:58 pm
#5
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You can also see the queue from the lounge and judge it for yourself, but the BA lounge agents will make it clear when it is time to go, and the gate agents will spot if any lounge users are working their way through. There isn't much scope to miss you flight, the gap between lounge / passports / bus gate is very short. Half a dozen people in front of you means 2 or 3 minutes.
Nov 27, 2017, 1:59 pm
#6
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I got the same message at LIS last weekend. I left the lounge early as a result and passport control was completely deserted. Just walked right up. Seems to me like they are just sending this out by default.
Nov 27, 2017, 2:02 pm
#7
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Emigration control delays from some European airports
Nov 27, 2017, 2:45 pm
#8
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This does indeed seem to be an automated message that was introduced over the summer, as c-w-s said. I've flown out of Linate half a dozen times since then and never had to wait more than a couple of minutes. There are three or four booths, which give you access to the non-Schengen part of Linate which only has I think four gates. And most passengers seem to be Europeans so the checks are generally pretty rapid.
Nov 28, 2017, 1:11 am
#9
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Generally true except for IST, where fast track passport control is the only benefit provided - except for a shabby lounge.
LIN is often a problem for the reasons you describe - a cluster of non-Schengen flights at the same time can quickly cause a long queue.
LIN is often a problem for the reasons you describe - a cluster of non-Schengen flights at the same time can quickly cause a long queue.
Nov 28, 2017, 1:13 am
#10
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I missed a TAP flight on Sunday from LIS because of this. The board didn't say go to gate until 45 min before, which wasn't enough time to get through the queue. TAP took no responsibility, charged me for a new ticket and suggested I complain to the airport
Nov 28, 2017, 2:18 am
#11
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Well there were no queues at either security or passport control. I think BA should be a little more discriminating in putting out these alerts. Thanks all for engaging.
Nov 28, 2017, 4:31 am
#13
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The national governments of the EU member states are the primary party most directly responsible for the mess that has come about at passport control checkpoints in the Schengen zone. If the government decided to increase staffing of passport checking personnel and to cut back on in-bound and out-bound electronic checks of those with prima facie evidence of being legally present in the Schengen area, things would go way faster than they do currently and arguably could be made to be no more of a systemic "security" risk than before.