Spain holiday warning: UK holidaymakers issued travel warning as 'several changes' coming to Spanish airport from May

UK holidaymakers who have holidays booked to Spain have been issued an airport warning that comes into effect from May this year. A series of changes will have been made to Murcia Airport in Spain that holidaymakers need to be aware of. 

From May changes will have been made to the passport control process at Murcia Airport ahead of the introduction of the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) across Spain. The new biometric security system will change the way that holidaymakers cross the border when entering and leaving several European countries including Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy and France. Self-service kiosks will replace manual passport stamping for travellers from outside EU countries including Britain.

The new scanners will log each tourist's name, the date and place of arrival or departure, their fingerprints and a facial image. The EU will use the technology to track how long travellers stay in countries inside the Schengen area and record any overstayers or refusals of entry.

At Murcia Airport, the passport control area is now being altered to accommodate the new systems, including the installation of check-in e-gates that use passengers' biometric data. In the coming weeks, manual security posts will be moved to make way for the automatic gates and the passenger flow system will be re-routed, with hallways, toilets and airport shops affected.

The Entry/Exit System is expected to be introduced at many airports across Europe by 6 October this year. However, Spanish news site Murcia Today reports that arrivals will notice “several changes” to the regional airport's passport control from as early as next month.

Murcia International Airport, informally also known as Murcia-Corvera, is an international airport in southeast Spain. It opened in January 2019 and replaced Murcia–San Javier Airport. It is situated between the villages of Corvera, Los Martínez del Puerto and Valladolises within the municipality of Murcia.

Alongside the introduction of the EU's new Entry/Exist System (EES) the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is also scheduled to come into effect in 2025 and will require tourists from outside of the EU to apply for a permit before they travel to most countries in Europe. Holidaymakers from the UK will be able to apply online or via an app at a cost of £6 and most will receive approval within a few minutes, however those requiring further checks may have to wait up to 30 days. The permit will last for three years or until the person's passport expires - whichever is sooner.