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European Entry system – relief for the summer period
I can’t say I’m surprised to report that the introduction of the new electronic entry and exit system in Europe has not been exactly smooth. Having travelled to and from Europe multiple times since it was introduced, I’ve only just managed to register at the third airport I tried. Previously, I was just told to go to the e-gates at both Alicante and Murcia after being told I was already registered (I wasn’t) or it wasn’t possible. Finally, at Valencia airport, they had a manual fingerprint and photo at the officer’s counter, where I was able to do it. This does not seem to be an isolated problem, with around 50% of people I spoke to at Murcia getting a similar message, which would apply at other Spanish airports too.
The system will take your fingerprints and photograph you the first time you enter the EU, and then you will have to update them every few years. Once you have registered you should be able to go straight to the e-gates and from 10 April 2026, there should be no more passport stamping.
However, the issues with the system have been causing significant delays even during the quieter winter months. In December, Lisbon Airport had to suspend the EES for three months after “serious deficiencies” resulted in excessive waiting times of up to seven hours. This does not bode well for the summe,r when it is highly likely most people will be holiday makers who have not already registered.
The EU has now backed down slightly, but not tio the extent that some publications reported with a universal delay of the system until October. Instead, the EU is giving individual countries the ability to suspend operations. This means there may still be manual passport stamping at busy times.
In a statement, it said,
“After the completion of the roll-out, Member States will still be able to partially suspend EES operations where necessary during a period of an additional 90 days with a possible 60-day extension to cover the summer peak. This is foreseen in the legislation and will give MS the necessary tools to manage potential extended queues.”
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is now scheduled to launch in the last quarter of 2026 around October. It will require visa-exempt travelers, including British citizens, to obtain pre-travel authorization to enter 30 European countries, and it will cost €20.
Loganair 50% off Avios redemptions sale
Loganair joined Avios in March 2025, and now they have launched a flash sale on Avios redemptions. If you are a bit of an aviation geek or just fancy something very different, I can highly recommend a trip to Barra Island with Loganair, who land on the beach! You can read about my experience here.
Normally, it costs 6500 Avios for a redemption ticket on Loganair through their loyalty scheme, which is a “Fly” class ticket. Flights will now be just 3,250 Avios.
You will need to sign up for a Logainair Loyalty account if you don’t have one and then transfer Avios over from another account. If you have an existing Avios Partner account, you can link your Loganair Loyalty and Avios Partner accounts and transfer Avios to and from British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and Vueling rewards.
The sale runs until 10 February, and you can fly from 7 March onwards.
Here are all the places you can fly to or from:
Aberdeen
Barra
Belfast City
Benbecula
Bergen
Birmingham
Bristol
Campbeltown
Cardiff
City of Derry Airport
Cornwall Airport Newquay
Donegal
Dublin
Dundee
Edinburgh
Esbjerg
Exeter
Glasgow
Guernsey
Inverness
Islay
Isle of Man
Jersey
Liverpool
London
Manchester
Newcastle
Norwich
Orkney
Shetland
Southampton
Stavanger
Stornoway
Tiree
Oman Air sale with up to 20% off
Oman Air joined oneworld last year, so if you are looking for an airline to earn Avios on, then Oman Air are a great choice.I flew with them a few years ago and rated them very highly. Certain aspects feel more like first class onboard, and the seats have aisle access and plenty of privacy. You can read our latest review here.
The sale is for 20% off economy and business class flights worldwide until 12 February 2026. You can travel from 12 April to 24 June 2026.
You can find the sale page here.
