European border queues: what business travellers should check before they go

European border queues are now a practical business travel issue, not just a holiday inconvenience. Longer waits for British citizens entering and leaving European countries can affect meetings, onward travel, working time, missed connections and the cost of rearranged plans.

For employers, the issue is not just whether a traveller eventually gets through the border. It is whether the journey has been planned with enough time, the right documents and a clear backup plan if delays cause extra costs.

The current pressure is linked partly to the EU’s new Entry/Exit System, known as EES. It is being introduced across the Schengen area and affects many British citizens travelling for short stays.

In practice, business travellers may need to register biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo. They may also need to allow extra time when leaving the Schengen area, not just when arriving.

That matters for any business sending staff to Europe for meetings, events, site visits, conferences or contract work. A queue at passport control can quickly become a missed train, missed flight, overnight stay or lost working day.

 

Why queues are catching travellers out

Before Brexit, many UK travellers were used to moving through European borders with less friction. That has changed.

British citizens are now treated as third-country nationals for Schengen border purposes. For short business trips, the 90 days in any 180-day period rule still matters. Travellers may also be asked to show a return or onward ticket, accommodation details, enough money for their stay and proof of travel insurance.

The new EES process adds another layer. On a first visit, a traveller may be directed to a booth or desk to register details before proceeding through immigration. On later trips, checks may still take time, especially where systems, staffing or passenger volumes cause bottlenecks.

This can be more difficult for business travellers than leisure travellers. A family holiday can often absorb a slower airport arrival. A business trip is usually built around fixed meetings, tight turnarounds and a planned return to work.

Where several employees are travelling together, the risk multiplies. One delayed traveller may be inconvenient. A delayed team can affect a client presentation, trade event, training session or site handover.

 

What this means for employers

The practical issue is duty of care. Employers need to think about how staff travel, what support they have and what happens if travel plans change.

A missed connection may lead to extra hotel costs, new tickets, taxis, subsistence expenses or lost deposits. It may also leave an employee waiting for long periods without easy access to food, water, medication or phone charging.

That matters from a people point of view, but it can also test internal travel policies. Staff need to know who approves extra costs, what evidence to keep and what to do if they cannot return as planned.

There is also a compliance point. Short business travel is not always the same as working abroad. Some countries allow meetings, conferences and short training under visitor rules, but paid work, installation, site labour or longer projects may need different permission.

Border queues should therefore be treated as part of the wider travel planning conversation. The question is not only “will the flight be on time?” It is “does the traveller have enough time, paperwork and support to complete the trip safely?”

 

Where travel insurance gets tested

Annual business travel insurance can be useful, but cover depends on the policy wording and circumstances. Delay, missed departure, cancellation, medical expenses and baggage sections can all work differently.

Where cover gets tested is often in the detail. Some policies may require a traveller to allow reasonable time to reach the airport or station. Some may exclude claims where official advice, carrier instructions or entry requirements were not followed.

There may also be limits on what counts as a covered travel delay. A long queue at border control may not be treated the same way as a cancelled flight or a mechanical failure. The policy wording matters.

Employers should also check who is insured. Directors, employees, temporary staff, contractors and accompanying colleagues may not all be treated in the same way. Trips that mix business and leisure can also need care.

This is where a specialist broker can help. Ratcliffes can look at how the business actually travels, not just whether a policy is in place.

 

What business travellers should do before travelling

The best preparation is simple and practical. It does not remove the risk of a queue, but it reduces the chance of a queue becoming a bigger problem.

• Check passport validity early. For Schengen travel, British passports normally need to meet both the issue-date and expiry-date rules.

• Build in more border time. Allow extra time on arrival and departure, especially at busy airports, ferry terminals and rail terminals.

• Check the local entry rules. Requirements can vary by country, trip type and traveller status.

• Keep business documents accessible. Travellers may need meeting details, hotel confirmations, return tickets, invitation letters or evidence of travel insurance.

• Review the 90 in 180 day limit. Frequent European business travel can add up quickly across multiple Schengen countries.

• Make expense rules clear. Staff should know what to do if they miss a connection or need an extra night away.

• Carry essentials. A charged phone, power bank, medication, water and key contact numbers can make a long wait easier to manage.

• Check annual business travel cover. Look at delay, missed departure, cancellation, medical expenses, baggage and traveller eligibility.

 

Speak to Ratcliffes

If European travel delays are affecting how your business sends people abroad, it is worth checking whether your annual business travel cover still fits. Call Ratcliffes on 01242 544544 to discuss your business travel insurance or talk through how border delays could affect your cover.

 

Sources

GOV.UK, France travel advice: Entry requirements (accessed June 2026)
GOV.UK, Spain travel advice: Entry requirements  (accessed June 2026)
The Guardian, “Britons travelling home via EU airports ‘should allow three hours’ before flights”, 30 May 2026.
European Union Travel Europe, Entry/Exit System information (accessed June 2026)