EU’s new biometric border checks.

Posted on 14 September, 2026 by Spacejunkie2

Some of Europe’s most popular destinations have reportedly been given permission to further delay full implementation of the EU’s new biometric border checks.

Passenger queue to clear border control at a European control point.A number of countries appear to have tacitly been given permission not to fully implement EES
The Times reports France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Italy and Switzerland have all told they will not enforce the EU Entry-Exit System (EES) until the technology and systems that underpin it are working correctly.

It comes after a set of contingency measures, which have been available to Schengen nations over the summer to alleviate EES bottlenecks, were due to be withdrawn earlier this month – six months after the full EES rollout, which itself followed a soft launch in October 2025.

EES requires arrivals into EU nations from third-countries, like the UK after Brexit, to submit to biometric checks; these include a facial scan and having their fingerprints taken.
To date, the EU has been steadfast in its insistence there will be no grace period ahead of the coming winter season and in the months to follow.

However, The Times reports that on this occasion, the EU has quietly given the likes of France, Greece, Italy and Portugal permission to pause implementation in the interest of what Eurostar chief Gwendoline Cazenave described to the paper as “maintaining border fluidity”.

Despite the European Commission’s insistence EES has “broadly worked well” over the summer, a spokesperson said the commission was in “close and constructive contact” with certain member states, and conceded “some adjustments” may be needed at some border crossing points.

The industry has been pushing for respite for several months. As the 6 September deadline approached, Abta’s Director of Public Affairs, Luke Petherbridge, said the association would continue to push for the emergency measures and “flexibilities” to be available beyond September.

Other have been more blunt; Ryanair said the EU’s handling of EES had been “a shambles from start to finish” while Holiday Extras said the decision to let the emergency measures lapse was “the clearest sign yet” that the system “had failed”.

Problems identified by Ryanair include malfunctioning EES kiosks, lengthy processing times and staff shortages. Holiday Extras chief Matthew Pack, meanwhile, said the challenges would make it difficult for the EU to rollout its Esta-style visa waiver in Q4, as planned, as it is reliant on EES working correct.

Shearings owner enters administration

Posted on 22 May, 2020 by Spacejunkie2

Coronavirus: Shearings collapses with loss of 2,500 jobs ...

Shearings Holidays owner Specialist Leisure Group has entered into administration after failing to secure a rescue deal.

As well as 117-year-old Shearings, Specialist Leisure Group was behind agency Wallace Arnold Travel, National Holidays, UKBreakaways, Caledonian Travel, Sportingbreaks.com, Bay Hotels, Coast & Country Hotels and Country Living Hotels.

With the current travel restrictions in place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, there were only a “small number” of customers overseas on package holidays, the Civil Aviation Authority said.

However, the company had more than 64,000 bookings – the majority coach package holidays – Abta said, confirming they would be financially protected with customers due to a full refund.

‘It’s crucial to save summer’, says industry coalition

A statement posted on the company’s website this evening said: “The Specialist Leisure Group entered administration on May 22, 2020.

“All tours, cruises, holidays and hotel breaks booked with the Specialist Leisure Group have been cancelled and will not be rescheduled.”

Chief executive Richard Calvert said: “This is a terribly sad day for employees, customers and commercial partners of the Specialist Leisure Group (SLG) and its subsidiaries which have entered into Administration.

“The effects of Covid-19 on our 117-year old company and the wider travel industry have been devastating.

“In the most trying of circumstances, over these past few months, we have fought tooth and nail to save the Group and the jobs of our 2,400 loyal employees serving over 1.1m customers annually.

“It is heart-breaking that the required funding or investment could not be secured to get us through this unprecedented crisis in order to save SLG to and our amazing travel brands.”

SLG confirmed last month that it was in discussions with stakeholders, advisors and the government “to weather the storm of Covid-19”.

Reports at the time said the majority of Shearings’ employees were currently furloughed and said 2,600 jobs would be at risk should the company fall into administration. It had put a pause on new bookings before entering administration.

Shearings Holidays was the UK’s largest escorted tour operator and traced its roots to 1903 when Smiths Happiways was established in Wigan.

It offered holidays to 170 destinations in the UK, Europe and Worldwide, including coach tours, rail holidays and river cruises.

Main stakeholder Lone Star Funds took control of Shearings in 2016, and the company rebranded as Specialist Leisure Group in 2018.

Shearings and Wallace Arnold were both members of Abta. Bookings with Wallace Arnold Travel, which acted as an agent for other suppliers, will go ahead as normal except where bookings have been made with other companies within the Specialist Leisure Group.

John de Vial, director of membership and financial services at Abta, said: “The Specialist Leisure Group included two of the UK’s best-known coach holiday brands, Shearings and National Holidays, two much loved holiday companies who for many years have provided holidays both at home and overseas to a very loyal group of customers.

“Today is a very sad day for these customers and the thousands of staff who will have lost their jobs.

“The fact that two such well-known brands with a loyal customer base have had to call in administrators is a stark indication of the pressure that the holiday industry is under as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Abta has repeatedly highlighted to the government the urgency of the situation and the need to set out a coordinated strategy with clearer communication if it wants to help avoid significant job losses and support companies to weather the storm.”

Atol spokesman Andrew McConnell said: “This is a particularly sad day for customers and employees of Shearings Holidays Ltd, longstanding business and well known UK travel company.

“The company specialised in coach packages and other types of holiday bookings, however, there are a small number of consumers with flight-inclusive packages, which will be ATOL protected. For these bookings, we will be contacting consumers directly or via their agent to provide guidance and support.”

National Holidays and UK Breakaways were members of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, which confirmed affected customers would be due a full refund.

Chief executive Graham Vidler said: “This is a sad day for all those involved with Shearings and the wider coach tourism industry, our immediate thoughts are with those employees who now face an uncertain future. Today’s events show the need for the government to urgently step in and provide support to the wider coach tourism industry, during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has been lacking to date.”

Shearings: Advice for customers

Customers with forward bookings for Shearings Holidays, National Holidays trading as Caledonian and Travel Style, UK Breakaways and Shearings Hotels trading as Bay Hotels and Coach and Country Hotels should click here and follow the instructions on how to progress a claim.

For customers with an ATOL certificate, customers should click here to start the refund process.

Announcement of £4 billion industry ‘lifeline’ expected this week

Posted on 20 April, 2020 by Spacejunkie2

A £4 billion travel industry ‘lifeline’ that would underwrite customer refund credit notes could be announced this week, according to reports.

The challenge of providing refunds for holidays that have been cancelled or delayed has become the most divisive issue in the sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trade body Abta has been lobbying under its #SaveFutureTravel campaign for a change in the Package Travel Regulations (PTRs) to allow firms more time to refund and to make sure Refund Credit Notes carry the same weight of protection as the original package holidays.

But consumer anger has been mounting over firms refusing refunds or delaying processing refunds and the sector fears a wave of credit card chargebacks will lead to widespread company failures and job losses within weeks.

A counter #ItsRightToRefund campaign led by former Travel Republic managing director and VIVID Travel founder Kane Pirie supporting a limited grace period for refunds to July 31 but not a change in the law is gaining traction among consumers and some industry bosses.

Following reports of a stalemate in government after different departments disagreed about how to protect firms from failure while maintaining consumer rights, The Sunday Telegraph reports today that an announcement could be imminent.

The newspaper reported that proposals were being finalised over the weekend by transport secretary Grant Shapps, business secretary Alok Sharma and head of Atol Andy Cohen who, it was reported, has given the £4 billion lifeline “his blessing”.

The proposal would see credit notes being officially backed by government guarantee so that should companies that have issued them fail the consumer would get their money back.

The Sunday Telegraph said pleas from other sectors of business for special treatment could prove to be a sticking point, but an announcement is expected as early as this week.

Although the £4 billion scheme would not satisfy those who are demanding all customers receive a cash refund as stipulated under the PTRs, The Sunday Telegraph said it was hoped it would help enough consumers be persuaded to accept credit notes to take the pressure off the industry.