Brexit and its implications for British, HU and any other citizens

I've never had any issues with any airlines other than Ryanair and one airline I vow never to fly again with, none of the family will either. My cousin who is a pilot days they are a dreadful company and wouldn't work fir them as they treat their staff badly.

Gosh back in 2019 we landed at the airport in Las Vegas.If anyone has done an 18 hour plus trip then may understand.They advertise a 14 to 18 hour arrival time but do not add the lay over time so your time clock is going bonkers with a min; 24 hour mix up plus the difference in time zones. We were almost the last to leave our flight and for some reason I could not find my passport fast enough.I could Give a àààà and just sat down to dig into my bag to locate it. Right there in the line for passport control. Thinking I am home and all is good, no, all is bad!Triggered Homeland security protocols.The took a every scan known to man on us.I am defo in the system!NWO stuff! - @Marilyn Tassy

You don't need to worry about Homeland Security right now because many of those thugs are not being paid and neither are the wannabe "agents" known as TSA.

It's become rather complicated for dual and triple nationals.  My bro used to enter the UK on his Australian passport simply because he wanted to assert his rights as an Australian.  Those were the days when you didn't need these electronic travel authorisations (ETAs).   

That gets weird as entering and leaving on different passports is now linked in to other paperwork.  Inter-EU it should be fine, just use EU passport.  Outside Schengen gets more complicated.

I really don't know how it's going to work going out of the UK for my kids.  It seems like it could work like this:

Leaving HU

Book Ticket:  Use HU passport details

Check In:  British Passport (therefore no ETA required UK), HU passport ready on standby if need to show if check-in shows HU passport details needed. Check In staff might need evidence of ETA.   

HU passports:  HU passport at e-gates

UK passports:  Enter UK on British passport (complies with new rules)

Leaving UK

Check In:  Show HU passport (therefore no ETIAS needed)

UK passports:  There are no British passport checks leaving the UK

HU passports:  Use HU passport e-gates

(Link) The Dutch don't allow their citizens to retain their Dutch nationality if they voluntarily elect to apply for another country's citizenship; so if my wife applied for UK citizenship, she would lose her Dutch passport. They do permit it if they gain the non-Dutch citizenship through no fault of their own (so in our case, the fact their father was a British citizen means they were British). We had to declare their UK passports when my wife took our trouwboekje to the Dutch Consulate in Düsseldorf to add them to it.
It's never a good idea to use a different passport which you used at check-in, when you get to your destination. It flags up on the flight manifest, which the Immigration staff use at passport control and will at the very least mean more questions and if it happens while something else is going on which has caused extra scrutiny for whatever reason, you can get moved to the interesting persons queue. I only did it once when I tried to jump the queue at IAD by going through the US citizens queue while wearing a British Army uniform, travelling on a NATO travel order and showing my old US passport. I then got into trouble for having half a sandwich and banana in my combat jacket pockets. - @Cynic

Maybe just being open about the different passports is the best idea.   And then you don't need the ETA, ETIAS and blah-blah. I've never known check in personnel to be that diligent on passport checks when there's an actual passport checking desk to airside.

My kids always used HU passports to leave HU and UK passports to enter the UK.  No-one ever said a word about it.

And of course, there are no passport checks leaving the UK.

You could have eaten the sandwich and banana.

I've never had any issues with any airlines other than Ryanair and one airline I vow never to fly again with, none of the family will either. My cousin who is a pilot days they are a dreadful company and wouldn't work fir them as they treat their staff badly. - @SimCityAT

Ryanair I also vowed never to use but I am using them again due to Wizzair withdrawing services to Liverpool.   Their loss. Ryanair has taken up the slack.

I don't like their 737s.  The seats have weird spacing and narrow places at the aisle ends on where to put your feet.  The middle seat has a large space and the window is just normal.  But the aisle under seat space is really narrow.

Wizzair was using Airbus and it's a much nicer plane than the ancient 737 designs Ryanair uses.

HU:

I came through BUD airport this morning. 

There's a new set of lines drawn on the ground, one goes to the EES machines and the other is for EU e-gates plus a completely separate queue for permanent residents.  The PR queue was blocked so I asked about it and I was let through.  One other person quickly joined me in the PR queue as we had one immigration officer each.    It's such a load of nonsense.  But in any case, I was into the baggage hall in just a few minutes and I was outside waiting for pickup within 15m of disembarking the plane.   

I didn't see anyone using the EES machines but I guess they were slower off the plane.

Meanwhile, while taxying to the terminal, I saw 3 x El Al planes parked away from all other planes plus 1 x other Israeli airline plane from an unknown airline.  I reckon they are there for safe-keeping as there was security around them.  There was however, one El Al plane at the gates.  I suppose they are keeping the parked planes away from Tel Aviv in case they are hit by missiles.

...Meanwhile, while taxying to the terminal, I saw 3 x El Al planes parked away from all other planes plus 1 x other Israeli airline plane from an unknown airline. I reckon they are there for safe-keeping as there was security around them. There was however, one El Al plane at the gates. I suppose they are keeping the parked planes away from Tel Aviv in case they are hit by missiles. - @fluffy2560

Either that or their departure for Ben Gurion has been, shall we say, delayed.

EU flight cancellations:

I was booked on Fly Dubai to get here but then it was twice cancelled so I made my own way back via Saudi.

As of this morning, Fly Dubai is trying to issue me with a voucher and not a refund. 

Vouchers are optional but can be rejected in favour of a cash refund. 

They also said they sent me a voucher which has not been received. 

Avoid FlyDubai.

(p.s. this has happened to me before - it was LOT Polish Airlines last time and it was during COVID)

Today's the day:

EU fingerprint and photo travel rules come into force

"The EU's new digital border system which requires fingerprints and photos alongside a passport scan is set to be fully operational from Friday [10 April 2026].

This was the deadline for the Entry/Exit System or EES, to be active at every Schengen border crossing point in all 29 participating countries.

The system began being gradually introduced from October to strengthen security and ultimately make travel smoother, though due to some hiccups, not every point will be fully rolling it out."

Couldn't be worse timing - my daughter and BF are inbound literally as I type this. 

Update:  Report is EES machines not working - all done manually with a Passport jobsworth.  50 minutes to get past passports.  Another Brexit benefit.

Switzerland Joins Germany, Greece, US, France, Spain, Italy and More Countries in Suspending New Biometric Checks After UK Tourists Face Lengthy Airport Delays and Missed Flights Across Europe - Travel And Tour World https://share.google/eigjMdDTlK39u4Fjy

HU Update:

Exit process at BUD airport has a special queue for the RP holders.   I saw a lot of Chinese people who were being hassled by the border guards.   None of the Chinese travellers could speak English.  It seems they had not got their RPs with them and they were in the wrong queue.

Anyway, the RP queue is blocked off so you have to ask them to open it up but there is a dedicated border officer for RPs.

Inbound, I don't know yet.

I can confirm at BUD there's an inbound EU queue which includes RP card holders.   I was in the RP queue and 5 people were in front of me.   They block off the RP queue and you have to ask to get through.  I had to wait about 10 minutes in total for the scanning.  They scan the passport and the RP which seems a bit OTT.

There were 100s of Chinese (presumably) people on the Chinese flight arrival in the non-EU queue and the cops were moving through the lines registering people.  The EES machines were not in use. I've never seen them being used by anyone.  That queue length looked like a good 1h wait and it was getting longer by the minute.

It seems to me, the entire thing is a major inconvenience for anyone without an RP.   Considering the millions of tourists from the UK entering popular places like Spain or Greece or France, no wonder they are often suspending EES for the summer season. 

Just been through passports at BUD airport and despite the RP, we are back to passport stamping again.

When I said stamps were not necessary, miserable guy said "new system". What that means I do not know.  If he meant EES, RP holders are not subject to it. Obviously he was asleep at the morning briefing.

They have new non-touch scanners for fingerprints.

The RP queue remains and it is useful for skipping the crowds. Unfortunately there are several Chinese planes leaving at the same time so the EES queue remains problematic.

I entered Hungary via Germany in March.

I did show them my RP and US passport in Germany and it was  easy.

I had used the wheelchair service for all connections except the one from Germany to Hungary and only because the connection was tight and I did not wish to miss the flight.

In line I waited but the clock was ticking fast, I opened up and asked the line if they minded if I jumped the line because my flight was tight. Everyone was nice and let me pass.

I always have airport assistance, so I never have trouble with security. I flash my Article 50 Card and passport for a matter of seconds in Amsterdam, because I would not make the connecting flights, and it's a damn long walk between gates, which seem like miles.

Arriving B19 and having to get to D21 in 1.5 hours is not possible, maybe if I were a lot younger and not with a bad back. I do prefer having 4 hours stopover, so I am not rushed.

I always have airport assistance, so I never have trouble with security. I flash my Article 50 Card and passport for a matter of seconds in Amsterdam, because I would not make the connecting flights, and it's a damn long walk between gates, which seem like miles.

Arriving B19 and having to get to D21 in 1.5 hours is not possible, maybe if I were a lot younger and not with a bad back. I do prefer having 4 hours stopover, so I am not rushed. - @SimCityAT

Yes, I used the assistance service because I too have weak knees and standing in long lines for hours if needed is not going to happen.

As I was traveling alone on a long haul I wanted to make it as easy for myself as possible.

Going from Budapest with assistance is not needed; They seem to have no official service workers just a few random chairs you can use but they also do not give out passes for anyone to help you through to your gate so I suppose you would be rolling yourself around.

I used United Airlines and they had people waiting as you left the plane and they whisked you off through the airport, security and to your gate.

I would of defo gotten lost in SFO airport without them.

I tipped at every connection but this one old Asian guy in SFO on my return flight was really hustling for tips; Pissed me off really since he kept huffing and puffing as he pushed me. I weight about 51 to 53 kilos on a good day so why take that job if you can not push a light weight like me?

He kept saying he needed water and it cost $6.00 a bottle.

I told him flat out that I refile my water bottle at the water stations. Then he asked if he could let me out before my gate because he was tired!

I even had suggested before that for him to sit and I would push him!

I tipped him and went off to my gate without looking back, no $6.00 for him though!

I do not care, lived in Vegas and know a hustler when I see one.

No one else was like that, all fast, nice and grateful for     a tip.

A few days later in Vegas I drove my rental car to the Vegas airport to pick up my SIL.

Was going to meet her at baggage claim.

Walked through the doors of the airport and their was a private driver finishing up bussines with 2 middle aged men.

As I passed them at the door in they tipped him a $20. and he was all sweet with honey with them.

He smiled and looked at me; I causally asked if he knew where the baggage claim was for the airline she was flying in on. He said yes, to follow him as he was meeting more private car clients there. I told him he could walk with me but I was not tipping!

I passed through BUD immigration last night.   No passport stamp.

I was through in seconds in the RP queue.   I was just asked where I came from.

They were hassling people at Customs but I'm an old geezer with a walking stick.  Hardly likely to interest anyone about anything.

Interestingly, when they see the stick, I usually get promoted to an early position in the queue.  They do this in Europe but rarely happens in the UK.

I passed through BUD immigration last night. No passport stamp.
I was through in seconds in the RP queue. I was just asked where I came from.

They were hassling people at Customs but I'm an old geezer with a walking stick. Hardly likely to interest anyone about anything.

Interestingly, when they see the stick, I usually get promoted to an early position in the queue. They do this in Europe but rarely happens in the UK. - @fluffy2560

Re walking stick; try asking for assistance at the time of booking

I passed through BUD immigration last night. No passport stamp.
I was through in seconds in the RP queue. I was just asked where I came from.

They were hassling people at Customs but I'm an old geezer with a walking stick. Hardly likely to interest anyone about anything.

Interestingly, when they see the stick, I usually get promoted to an early position in the queue. They do this in Europe but rarely happens in the UK. - @fluffy2560
Re walking stick; try asking for assistance at the time of booking
- @Cynic

I don't need the stick all the time so doesn't truly warrant assistance.   

Most of the time I do walk slower than other people though. 

And the stick is like an extra leg to help with balance.

Growing old is not that much fun.  Youth is of course, wasted on the young.

I passed through BUD immigration last night. No passport stamp.
I was through in seconds in the RP queue. I was just asked where I came from.

They were hassling people at Customs but I'm an old geezer with a walking stick. Hardly likely to interest anyone about anything.

Interestingly, when they see the stick, I usually get promoted to an early position in the queue. They do this in Europe but rarely happens in the UK. - @fluffy2560
Re walking stick; try asking for assistance at the time of booking
- @Cynic
I don't need the stick all the time so doesn't truly warrant assistance.
Most of the time I do walk slower than other people though.

And the stick is like an extra leg to help with balance.

Growing old is not that much fun. Youth is of course, wasted on the young. - @fluffy2560

My wife used the assistance scheme at Schiphol last week; she tells me they were amazing and would recommend using them to everyone.

I passed through BUD immigration last night. No passport stamp.
I was through in seconds in the RP queue. I was just asked where I came from.

They were hassling people at Customs but I'm an old geezer with a walking stick. Hardly likely to interest anyone about anything.

Interestingly, when they see the stick, I usually get promoted to an early position in the queue. They do this in Europe but rarely happens in the UK. - @fluffy2560
Re walking stick; try asking for assistance at the time of booking
- @Cynic
I don't need the stick all the time so doesn't truly warrant assistance.
Most of the time I do walk slower than other people though.

And the stick is like an extra leg to help with balance.

Growing old is not that much fun. Youth is of course, wasted on the young. - @fluffy2560
My wife used the assistance scheme at Schiphol last week; she tells me they were amazing and would recommend using them to everyone.
- @Cynic

Oh, I swear by it, use it all the time, and so does my 85 year old dad. They really are so lovely, friendly and polite at Schiphol.

I passed through BUD immigration last night. No passport stamp.
I was through in seconds in the RP queue. I was just asked where I came from.

They were hassling people at Customs but I'm an old geezer with a walking stick. Hardly likely to interest anyone about anything.

Interestingly, when they see the stick, I usually get promoted to an early position in the queue. They do this in Europe but rarely happens in the UK. - @fluffy2560
Re walking stick; try asking for assistance at the time of booking
- @Cynic
I don't need the stick all the time so doesn't truly warrant assistance.
Most of the time I do walk slower than other people though.

And the stick is like an extra leg to help with balance.

Growing old is not that much fun. Youth is of course, wasted on the young. - @fluffy2560
My wife used the assistance scheme at Schiphol last week; she tells me they were amazing and would recommend using them to everyone.
- @Cynic
Oh, I swear by it, use it all the time, and so does my 85 year old dad. They really are so lovely, friendly and polite at Schiphol. - @SimCityAT

I haven't flown on KLM for years as they charge too much for luggage.   Very rare they come up now on ticket searches. I used Schipol many times when I was working in The Hague/Den Haag.  They used to call Schipol, London's 3rd airport way back then.

FR:

Dover ferry delays: Bank holiday queues grow as Entry-Exit System slows crossings to France

Passengers travelling from the UK warned to expect long waits

The port is preparing for around 18,000 travellers between Friday and Sunday, with May 23 expected to be the busiest day.

Ferry passengers travelling from the UK to France via the Port of Dover are warned to expect significant delays this weekend as the bank holiday coincides with the full rollout of the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES).

The port is preparing for around 18,000 travellers between Friday and Sunday, with May 23 expected to be the busiest day. -

I was at Dover post-Brexit but pre-EES and it took about 90m to get past French passport control.  It must be even worse now.  France does not have RP queues. I just heard on the radio, they've suspended EES at Dover due to massive queues and 5h waits!

LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Britain's government proposed the creation of a single market for goods with the European Union in what would be an ambitious ​reset of its post-Brexit ties with the bloc, but Brussels ‌has rejected the idea, British media reported.

The Guardian said the EU instead suggested Britain should join a customs union or agree to deeper economic alignment via the ​European Economic Area, both of which would require Prime Minister ​Keir Starmer to reverse his refusal to allow free movement ⁠of workers.

LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Britain's government proposed the creation of a single market for goods with the European Union in what would be an ambitious ​reset of its post-Brexit ties with the bloc, but Brussels ‌has rejected the idea, British media reported.The Guardian said the EU instead suggested Britain should join a customs union or agree to deeper economic alignment via the ​European Economic Area, both of which would require Prime Minister ​Keir Starmer to reverse his refusal to allow free movement ⁠of workers. - @SimCityAT

Free movement works both ways.   I regularly take taxis in the UK and they are either Polish, Hungarian or Ukrainian.  People will fill these jobs that British don't want to do.  I think it's great to have diversity.

Discussions I read recently were about one hit wonder Reform's policies mainly being about immigration but as we know from news reports, immigration is way down.   So what else has Farage got in his portfolio of BS. 

Latest border news:

French authorities 'suspend new EU border checks' as holidaymakers at Dover face three-hour tailbacks