British tourists are being “waved through” at airport security at Spanish holiday resorts in an apparent U-turn on new restrictions which sparked holiday mayhem for families.
Holidaymakers described sailing through security checks in Malaga and the Costa del Sol and guards “glanced” at their passports over the weekend.
Travellers spoke of their surprise after travel companies issued warnings to customers to arrive three hours early for flights in a bid to avoid four hour queues and missed planes.
Some five million people were expected to be caught up in chaos due to the introduction of new EU security restrictions meaning those living outside the Schengen zone – including the UK – would be subject to stricter checks.
Lynn Austin, 49, of Southend, Essex, told the Mirror that an officer didn’t check her passport photo.
She said: “I could have been anybody.” Another tourist said: “We handed our three passports over and he just looked at them. He didn’t even scan them.”
Phil Dixon, 65, of Leeds, added: “The police only had a very quick look at my passport when I landed.”
The revelations come after passengers were forced to wait in huge queues in Barcelona airport and at hubs across the UK on Thursday.
Passengers may be faced with further delays due to a walk-out by security staff at Barcelona airport on Monday.
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