 Poster: A snowHead
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On the way out of Innsbruck one of I think six passport controls had the scanners operating. Our friend had fingerprints and photo scan.
We went to separate booth and didn't.
None were operating on the way in the week before.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Exited Geneva today.
Used the Irish passport + 1 trick again to have no passport control queue, though the non-EU queue was probably no more than 10 minutes at the very most.
When you come through Heathrow you really see the contrast with the utter shambles the Swiss / Schengen area have created at Geneva.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The B gates queue was over an hour yesterday.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hi all we are going out by north sea ferries (hull rotterdam) end of feb and havnt seen anything about how the EES is working in the port re border checks . Has anyone been across and can shed any light as wondering wether to book the among the first to disembark the ship? thanks
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Flew into Turin on Saturday, it was a bit chaotic. No EES, no segregation of EU and non EU. There were 4 booths open which were taking absolutely ages, reckon it would have been an hour waiting in that. After about 20 minutes we were shunted to a different area with hardly any queue and where there were about 8 passport scanners then a booth after that to stamp non EU passports (EU passports just waved through). Didn’t see any likely machines for fingerprinting, the passport scanners did take a photo though.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Dav wrote: |
| Flew into Turin on Saturday, it was a bit chaotic. No EES, no segregation of EU and non EU. There were 4 booths open which were taking absolutely ages, reckon it would have been an hour waiting in that. After about 20 minutes we were shunted to a different area with hardly any queue and where there were about 8 passport scanners then a booth after that to stamp non EU passports (EU passports just waved through). Didn’t see any likely machines for fingerprinting, the passport scanners did take a photo though. |
It was the same machine at Salzburg. First you put in your passport, then after that the the four fingers of your right hand for fingerprinting. And the photo (can't remember whether that was before or after fingerprints).
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| JDL65 wrote: |
Exited Geneva today.
Used the Irish passport + 1 trick again to have no passport control queue, though the non-EU queue was probably no more than 10 minutes at the very most. |
Is the "Irish + 1 trick" as simple as taking non-EU passport holders through with you?
Myself and my daughters have Irish passports, while my wife only has her GB one. Last year at Geneva, we circumvented the ridiculous non-EU immigration queue (which was bloated thanks to multiple delays owing to thick fog on approach to Geneva) using this exact "trick".
However this year we are a group of 10, and while we are technically all on the same holiday (transfers, etc), we booked our flights separately.
I wonder if we'd be able to swing a 3+7 split...
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@Dr Peter Venkman, I took my girlfriend through the EU line a couple of weeks ago at GVA. I have British passport but French residency, so can skip the line, she has a US passport. They didn't care at all about her being my '+1' - we were through in 30 seconds but the main queue was prob 45 mins.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I suspect that if you were 1 EU passport trying to take 3 or more non-EU passport holders through they might not be happy. Also I reckon they need to be a close relative, not just a mate.
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Flying into GVA on Saturday from
UK - easyJet arrival at 16:30.
Anyone with recent experience on delays/queuing time through immigration?
I see a number of posts on Social media pertaining to 2 hour plus delays.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Would suggest that GVA EES delays are completely random. My experience three weeks ago was 10 minutes delay at passport control max, with passport stamp only (no EES).
Should add that because of social media doom mongers, I swapped my EasyJet flight to a Friday late arrival, booked into the Nash Airport hotel for £80 (2 minute shuttle) and took a leisurely scenic daylight train from the GVA to Zermatt. Then had a leisurely afternoon to sort out skis, lift passes etc. Something I look forward to repeating and makes train accessible Swiss resorts so much more civilized. The cost of the hotel was pretty much covered by the saving on the EasyJet ticket by not traveling on Saturday. Oh, and I didn’t have to get up at 3AM to get an early morning flight out of Bristol
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Richie_S, see above for last weekend, where Friday pm and Sunday pm, queues were c.1hr at times, and 10mins 3hrs later. It's unpredictable but can be bad.
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For years we have chosen to fly out on the Friday and back home on the Sunday. Makes for a much more relaxed experience, also an extra ski day (or two) if you want. The cost of two extra nights accommodation is mostly offset by the cheaper flights too.
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You know it makes sense.
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Anyone any idea on what I can expect at Grenoble in a few weeks. I've registered the prints and face scan at St Pancras last week but my son hasn't travelled to the EU for a while. I have 90 mins from landing to Bens bus departure whcih I'm hoping should be fine.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@ski for fun,
We used that ferry Jan 7th into Rotterdam. They were doing the EES scans in Rotterdam, which caused delays, as people were having to get out of their cars, but when we got to the passport booth, the chap told us his computer wasn't working so went through via the old system. We were fairly near the front getting off but I expect there would be longer deals than previously for those further back. Hopefully, as more people do their 1st EES, it should get quicker.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| zikomo wrote: |
| For years we have chosen to fly out on the Friday and back home on the Sunday. Makes for a much more relaxed experience, also an extra ski day (or two) if you want. The cost of two extra nights accommodation is mostly offset by the cheaper flights too. |
I try to do the same. Breaks up the travel into better chunks, while also choosing somewhere different for the overnight stay.
Im flying tomorrow & back a week sunday
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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thanks for your info , we are going out on a wed so im hopeful that there wont be that many cars on the ferry , Im not keen driving on the german autobahns on a friday (lorries trying to get to wherever on fridays) or skiers on a saturday in winter ,so these days as we are fortunate to do more or less as we please means we can on way to austria take a day or so longer to get to our main destination but if making good time we can take advantage of an extra day either to ski or visit somewhere weve never been .I learnt the lesson of allowing time when we spent a night and 1/2 a day bobbing about near the english coast in the beast from the east and didnt get to our booked hotel in resort while nearly midnight . cheers
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Raptor24 wrote: |
| Anyone any idea on what I can expect at Grenoble in a few weeks. I've registered the prints and face scan at St Pancras last week but my son hasn't travelled to the EU for a while. I have 90 mins from landing to Bens bus departure whcih I'm hoping should be fine. |
I went through Grenoble 1st week in January, and no signs of any additional "EES" machines. Grenoble is usually quite slow anyway .. it took us about an hour to get through immigration (lots of flights all arrived at the same time and there were 4 operational passport control booths), and probably around 2 hours on the way back (to check luggage in, and get through security).
This was my 1st time through Grenoble, and if I had my time again I'd say it's possibly the only time I wish I had paid a little extra for the Easyjet seats near the front of the plane, so I at least could beat everyone on the plane to immigration 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Innsbruck bit of a scramble outside the passport area. 3 non eu planes and only the doorway with no barriers or controls outside. Lots of people forcing through tje gaps. Lots of pointy elbows. Was fine once in a queue inside. About 20mins in all & we were one of the last of the plane.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Flew into Geneva last night after 2030hrs, no EES terminals on - all non EU/CH went through the passport desks.
Asked the staff what had happened with EES, as had someone who needed to register
"Oh, it's closed on the evening"
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We travelled from St Pancras to Lille/Moutiers on 17/1 - no EES data collected. However, on the return journey on 24/1, it was done at Lille before continuing to St Pancras, taken by the passport officers at the desk, not a booth. The queue for passport control was a bit slow-moving but this was why - actual process took about 2/3 minutes. Will see what happens next time I travel
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Verona considerably worse today than on December 20th, took around an hour. The row of new EES terminals weren't being used. Instead we were randomly split into 2 queues, one through the e-gates and then the stamping desk, the other queue straight to the desks but with fingerprint and face scanning.
It was very busy with a number of UK flights arriving plus two planes full of teenagers from Ireland. Would probably have been even worse had a couple of flights not diverted to Milan due to fog...
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On the ground report…
Landed in GVA at 1630, this afternoon Saturday. super long queue at immigration but fast moving and all booths had agents on. No EES. Got through in about 45 mins. General melee at baggage claim, but bags were already in the hall.
All in, cleared the bagged hall just over an hour after landing.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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So with ten weeks left until full implementation one of the major European airports wasnt doing anyone, complete farce
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| robs1 wrote: |
| So with ten weeks left until full implementation one of the major European airports wasnt doing anyone, complete farce |
Money on a delay?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Back home via Turin airport today. Thankfully there was only one international flight within an hour of ours otherwise it would’ve been complete chaos. Initially only two manned booths open for all passport holders, the EU e-gates were closed. Families with kids were ferried to the front so only one staff member working for the rest of the plane. Finally “management” turned up and noticed how long it was taking and opened the scanners for EU passport holders, so I ditched my group of pals and went through with my Irish passport. My pals told me they had a photo taken at the booth but no fingerprints. They did also open up another 2 manned booths on a different side which went through to our departure area, but it was all unnecessarily crap for simply one flight with a little over 200 people on board
Transfer day for TOs through Turin is a Sunday, and it didn’t look like they had many spare manned booths to help things out when they must have multiple international flights compressed together with many more passengers than today. Goodness knows how they handle it.
Overall, a poor experience going in and going out of Turin. Those lot are nowhere near ready for full EES, they took photos but no fingerprints on the way in or out, on the way in the manned booths were doing neither (they had a mix of 4 manned booths and about 8 electronic scanners). On the flip side, I rarely fly through Gatwick but it was absolutely seamless both on the way out and on the way back, scanners are set up for EU passports as well as Uk and it just works.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Dav - I hope you entered on your Irish passport or you could have issues on your 90 in 180 next time you enter Schengen!
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| JDL65 wrote: |
| @Dav - I hope you entered on your Irish passport or you could have issues on your 90 in 180 next time you enter Schengen! |
I did, as I always do when entering and exiting EU. I was only in the “slow” queue out as the EU scanners were closed and there were no designated EU only manned booths (same for in or out).
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You know it makes sense.
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Anyone have an idea what happens the second time around? Had my prints etc done in Salzburg at Christmas and am flying to Geneva tomorrow, is it any quicker once you've already registered?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| DaveyGTi wrote: |
| Anyone have an idea what happens the second time around? Had my prints etc done in Salzburg at Christmas and am flying to Geneva tomorrow, is it any quicker once you've already registered? |
Made no difference yesterday at Verona. Split randomly into 2 queues, one being photographed and fingerprinted the other not. No attempt to weed out those like us that had already been done.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Sailbad the Sinner wrote: |
| DaveyGTi wrote: |
| Anyone have an idea what happens the second time around? Had my prints etc done in Salzburg at Christmas and am flying to Geneva tomorrow, is it any quicker once you've already registered? |
Made no difference yesterday at Verona. Split randomly into 2 queues, one being photographed and fingerprinted the other not. No attempt to weed out those like us that had already been done. |
That's disappointing, I was hoping it would streamline the process a bit after the initial rigmarole!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I can't see how the process will speed up in the future as you will still need to go to a booth, have your prints scanned, photo taken, and potentially asked questions about your stay and how you will fund it.
You will then need to pass through some sort of gate.
It won't be like using the egates unless they do away with the questions regarding your stay and the booths are only a temporary thing before everyone uses an egate once registered on the system
What am I missing?.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The implementation of the system seems pointless. I guess in many years' time, when everyone is registered, you will have mostly machines and fee manual checks.
By which time it will be time to change the system again.
I have to potentially deal with EES registration into Geneva on Friday. Not looking forward to it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Harry Flashman wrote: |
The implementation of the system seems pointless. I guess in many years' time, when everyone is registered, you will have mostly machines and fee manual checks.
By which time it will be time to change the system again.
I have to potentially deal with EES registration into Geneva on Friday. Not looking forward to it. |
Surely the point was to make the system automatic so once registered you stick your hand in the machine or your eyes up to the scanner and it recognises you and lets you in and records the number of days you stayed on the way out.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Full implementation has been delayed until September rather than starting in April.
I am not sure it will ever work as intended.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Geneva today… 2 minutes for passport control in T2. Bag 25 minutes.
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| robs1 wrote: |
| Harry Flashman wrote: |
The implementation of the system seems pointless. I guess in many years' time, when everyone is registered, you will have mostly machines and fee manual checks.
By which time it will be time to change the system again.
I have to potentially deal with EES registration into Geneva on Friday. Not looking forward to it. |
Surely the point was to make the system automatic so once registered you stick your hand in the machine or your eyes up to the scanner and it recognises you and lets you in and records the number of days you stayed on the way out. |
But the booths can also ask you about your stay, ie length, place, ability to fund, so it's not as simple as using an egate.
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Straight through Munich on the way back with just a quick fingerprint check.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Hurdy,
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Full implementation has been delayed until September rather than starting in April
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Where have you seen this? It makes absolute sense, as it's obvious progressing far more slowly than originally planned, but everything I have read still says April.
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Might be some confusion between EES and ETIAS. ETIAS might be delayed again. Nothing about EES
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FAQ
