Tui issues 'two to three hours' alert in new passenger travel update

Tui issues 'two to three hours' alert in new passenger travel updateThe airline has explained the rule as passengers face long waiting timesCommentsTravelCharlotte Smith Senior Lifestyle Content Editor09:02, 16 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesThe new EES has caused travel delays for many across Europe(Image: Getty)Tui has issued a fresh passenger alert online, explaining a key 'two to three hours' rule the airline has for people flying with check-in luggage via the airline. Tui is one of the UK's top travel brands and the country's largest tour operator, helping more than six million holiday-goers each year.‌Tui's latest update comes as many passengers travelling to and from Europe have been facing long queues and waiting times at passport control. The European Union's newly launched Entry/Exit System (EES) has led to significant delays at airports across the continent.‌The new EES is designed to replace manual passport stamping with a more complex biometric registration process. Travellers from outside the EU must register their faces and provide their fingerprints when they first enter the Schengen Area. This first-time registration takes much longer than getting a regular passport stamp, which in turn extends processing times.‌Content cannot be displayed without consentMany passengers have been asking airlines online how early they should arrive and what time check-in opens, anticipating long queues at border control. On X, one passenger asked Tui for input on an upcoming trip they have planned.The passenger, called Sue Cooper, who goes by the username @Splott42 on the social media platform, wrote: "@TUIUK Good morning. Can you advise what time your bag drops open before a flight? I will be travelling to Corfu next month from Stanstead and this is the first time I have flown with you."‌A Tui spokesperson replied, explaining the timing. They said: "Good morning Sue, Short and mid-haul flights: Standard check-in opens at...