More than 120 EasyJet passengers miss Manchester flight at Milan Linate after 3-hour border queues

Disruption overview

More than 120 passengers missed an EasyJet flight from Milan Linate Airport to Manchester on 13 April 2026 after new biometric border checks created queues of up to 3 hours. The disruption came just days after the European Union launched its Entry-Exit System across the Schengen Area, and the flight left close to schedule because it could not miss its air-traffic-control slot. Some travelers were forced to pay for hotels, meals, transport, and new tickets, with one passenger spending 4 extra days in Milan. Because the problem was at border control rather than with the airline, compensation under EC 261 is unlikely, but affected passengers should still ask about care and assistance during long delays.

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Disruption details

On 13 April 2026, more than 120 passengers bound for Manchester were unable to board an EasyJet flight at Milan Linate Airport after long border-control lines built up at the terminal. For passengers, that meant a missed departure, unexpected extra costs, and in some cases days of disruption before they could get home.

The problem came just 3 days after the European Union fully launched its new biometric Entry-Exit System across the Schengen Area on 10 April 2026. Under the new process, short-stay non-EU travelers must provide fingerprints and facial images at passport control. At Milan Linate Airport, staffing had not grown enough to match the extra workload, and lines for non-Schengen departures stretched to around 3 hours.

That delay caught out even passengers who had arrived in good time. Some checked in early and cleared security without any issue, only to remain stuck in the immigration line until after boarding had closed. EasyJet had warned customers that the new checks could slow things down, but the service to Manchester still left close to schedule because it had a fixed departure slot from air traffic control and could not wait for late-arriving passengers.

The result was a plane leaving with dozens of empty seats while more than 120 booked passengers were still in the terminal. Many then had to sort out hotels, meals, local transport, and replacement tickets on their own. One traveler eventually found another route home, but only after an unexpected 4 extra days in Milan.

Passengers described packed halls, rising stress, and long periods on their feet as the queue barely moved. There were also reports of minor medical episodes during the wait. The disruption was severe for the people caught in it, even though it was limited to that departure window rather than a full airport shutdown.

The EasyJet flight itself was not canceled, and there was no wider ground stop at Milan Linate Airport. Even so, the incident quickly became an early sign of the pressure the new border system can put on airports when equipment, space, and staffing are not ready. Similar multi-hour queues were reported in France, Germany, and Spain during the first week of the rollout.

If you were affected, it's understandable to feel frustrated. Missing a flight after getting to the airport early can feel especially unfair. In this case, though, the problem came from government-run border control rather than something within the airline's control, so compensation under EC 261 is unlikely.

Although compensation is unlikely here, that doesn't mean you're without support. During long disruptions, airlines should still provide care and assistance, such as food, refreshments, and accommodation if you were kept away overnight. If your EasyJet journey from Milan was affected and you want to understand what may apply in your case, AirHelp's free flight compensation checker is a simple place to start.

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