(UNITED KINGDOM) — Ryanair warned UK passengers flying to Spain on July 2, 2026 that new EU Entry/Exit System checks are increasing passport-control queues and could cause missed boarding times.

The airline advised travellers to arrive earlier at airports, particularly when returning to the UK from Spain. Spain is part of the Schengen area, and passengers leaving Schengen countries for Britain are facing additional checks at passport control.

Separate passport problems can also stop passengers before they board. Travellers have been refused boarding after staff treated valid passports as invalid, while damaged documents, including passports with small tears, can also be rejected for travel.

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The post-Brexit passport validity rule remains in force for UK travellers entering Spain. A passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the date of entry and must remain valid for at least 3 months after the planned departure from the European Union.

The issue date is separate from the expiry date. A passport can appear to have enough time remaining before expiry but still fail the entry requirement if it was issued more than 10 years before the traveller arrives in Spain.

That distinction has created problems for passengers who check only the expiry date. The passport must satisfy both requirements: its issue date must fall within the 10-year limit, and its expiry date must extend at least three months beyond the planned departure from the EU.

Ryanair’s warning concerns the effect of the EU Entry/Exit System on airport processing. The checks are increasing queues at Spanish airports, particularly for passengers travelling back to the UK, and the extra waiting time can affect access to the gate.

Passengers should check the passport’s issue date and expiry date before leaving home. The physical condition of the document also matters, since damage can lead staff to treat it as invalid even when the dates meet the entry rules.

A small tear can cause a passport to be rejected. Travellers should inspect the document’s pages and cover before travelling rather than waiting for an airline check or border-control inspection.

Extra time at the airport is also necessary. Increased passport-control queues can lengthen the journey after check-in, and passengers who arrive with little time before boarding risk missing the flight even if their passport meets Spain’s entry requirements.

The two problems are separate. The EU Entry/Exit System can create delays at passport control, while an incorrect issue date, an expiry date that falls too soon after departure, or physical damage can prevent travel altogether.

Passengers flying from Britain to Spain should therefore check all three details before departure: when the passport was issued, when it expires, and whether it remains in good physical condition. They should also allow additional time for border checks on the return journey to the UK.