British tourists heading to Mallorca are set face shorter airport queues this summer, with negotiators on the verge of striking an agreement for British passport holders to use E-gates across Europe. They had been fears that British tourists would face long delays at Palma airport because of staffing problems at immigration desks.
Some passengers told the Bulletin that they had waited for more than one hour to clear passport control this month and they are fears that the problem could become even more pronounced as the summer season gets into full swing.
Pet passports will be brought back so cats and dogs coming from the UK will no longer need pricey animal health certificates for every trip. After Brexit, pet owners had to get a certificate from a vet in the UK then a vet in the EU before returning.
British passports can currently only be used at e-gates in the EU at a limited number of airports in Spain and Portugal.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said the announcement was "a significant breakthrough for British travellers".
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines UK, added: "This is excellent news for British holidaymakers and will enable an even smoother passenger experience for families travelling to the EU."