Earlier today we posted an article stating “It seems highly unlikely that British passengers will be able to use e-gates to enter Lanzarote and most other Spanish airports until much later this year.”
We were wrong, and we’ve removed the piece. Passengers to Lanzarote have been passing through e-gates for several months. We’ve done it ourselves. However, all British arrivals at the airport have also had to get their passports stamped since June last year.
Depending on the situation at the airport, the process can be smooth and quick, but queues can also arise at the e-gates or passport stamping counter. The really long queues that have occasionally been reported have usually been attributed to a shortage of border agents.
What’s clear is that the UK/EU reset deal announced yesterday will not change anything. The terms of agreement only state that there will be “no legal barriers to e-gate use for British nationals travelling to and from EU member states after the introduction of the EU entry/exit system (EES)”
The EES scheme will be introduced in October and phased in over six months. Until then, passport stamping will still be required for British travellers arriving at Lanzarote.
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