Reykjavik Transit - Passport Control both ways?
 

My parents are flying CDG - KEF - YEG and back in a few weeks.

Iceland is in the Schengen zone, so returning from Canada to Europe, I understand they would have to clear passport control. I think European/Schengen countries also require an exit stamp (there are none in my passport because I'm a Canadian/EU citizen, plus I just can't remember). Two questions:

1. Will they have to go through passport control at KEF on the France - Canada leg of the trip as well?
2. Could anyone give me some practical pointers (where to line up, what route to follow, for example colour coded lanes - green/blue/etc.), simple enough that I can pass on to my folks who are elderly and speak hardly any English.

They hold EU passports, if that's relevant.

Also, there appear to be 2 Icelandair flights from CDG to KEF leaving 10 minutes apart, at 14:00 and 14:10. What's up with that??? Flightaware shows the earlier flight, on which they are, actually having a worse on-time record of late, including a 3-hour delay a couple of days ago. I understand that the Icelandair model is such that there are 1-2 hour connection times by design, and that planes would wait a bit to make sure passengers make their connections. So a third question, if my folks end up on a flight that's delayed 3 hours, what would Icelandair do for them in Reykjavik? Hotel/meal? Or with their shift to a low(er)-cost airline will mom and pops be SOL?

Thanks

Yes, they'll have to go through Schengen exit passport control at KEF on the CDG-KEF-YEG leg.
Since they have EU passports, they can use the EU lane (with the EU flag symbol).

Yes, they will need to go through passport control upon exiting Schengen at KEF. The EU/EEA Passport Control area is clearly marked.

KEF has automated passport control for all EU/EEA passports - scan your passport, look forward so that your picture can be taken, the gate opens, and you are in/out of the Schengen zone (no fingerprint). It literally takes 30 seconds. Probably the easiest EU/EEC passport control - much better and quicker than the French PARAFE. Additionally, the times that I have connected at KEF, there have been no queues in the EU/EEA automated passport control area. I suspect, though, that the queues at the non-Schengen booths (read: manual passport control) are longer. This procedure applies when both entering and departing the Schengen zone.

Thank you both.

Do you also have to clear security again after passport control?

If they are stuck in Iceland over the night, then Icelandair has to offer them hotel rooms, food and two phone calls, and in some cases also 600 euros per person. This is a legal requirement due to an EU regulation. Due to Iceland's European Economic Area (EEA) membership, the regulation also applies to Iceland. There is a good introduction to the EU regulation in this thread on the BA forum (read the first seven posts): https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...61-2004-a.html

Yeah, that's been my experience as well. In fact, when passing through KEF as a transit passenger to/from the UK, I routinely will clear passport control and enter the country since there's a better selection of bars and restaurants during my layover. And for flights to/from Schengen, it's one of the easiest places to enter Schengen

Aside from a single time where I got special extra US-bound random screening upon re-entering the non-Schengen part of the terminal, it's been flawless, and usually under 30 seconds.

As previous replies have stated, the Schengen entry and exit process at KEF is pretty fast and painless, especially if one holds an EU/EEA/CH passport. The lines can look formidable during peak hour when Icelandair's connection banks are being processed but they move very fast. The only real "hassle" is if one is selected for the additional TSA screening for US-bound flights. That takes place right after the exit passport control.

How would you enter Schengen at EDI?

Sorry, a botched what I was trying to say: Shannon and Edinburgh are my equivalents for UK travel, both of those have trivial passport control vs long lines at LHR and LGW.

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