Brexit: Tourists warned to carry food, water and nappies on flights

Tourists planning to visit some of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations are being advised to carry “food, water and nappies” at the airport in the event of a no-deal Brexit after an investigation found that passengers could face hours of delays.

The UK is set to leave the EU next month. Picture: Getty Images

Additional entry checks at airports within the European Union could delay passengers travelling from the UK significantly, with those travelling to Alicante in Spain likely to be the worst affected, a report has found.

Consumer watchdog Which? which carried out the research, said that travellers should ensure they have essentials with them, warning that they were “very likely” to be in a queue for “several hours”.

The investigation, by consumer watchdog Which?, identified the EU airports where UK passport holders could face disruption. A total of 43 per cent of all passengers entering Alicante airport – which has direct flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow – arrive from the UK, meaning that if a deal is not agreed before Britain leaves the EU, it would need the staff and resources to deal with an additional 201 hours of immigration checks, on average, every single day.

Although Faro airport in Portugal has the biggest proportion of UK arrivals overall, according to the study, the Portuguese prime minister has already announced plans to ease congestion by opening special fast-track lanes at both Faro and Funchal airports.

The European Tourism Association has estimated that additional checks required in a no-deal Brexit could add an extra 90 seconds for each UK passport holder.

Rory Boland, Which? travel editor, said: “Airports can be chaotic at the best of times, but if additional checks at passport control in Spain, Italy and other popular EU destinations are implemented in the event of a no-deal, it seems that very long queues are going to be an unwanted side effect.

Until there is a deal or these airports announce simpler arrangements, you should consider what you may need if you have to fly to them – as it is very likely that you’ll be in a queue for several hours. Make sure you have food, water and essentials for kids like nappies to hand.”