given I’m flying next week to Italy.

am i right in thinking this is passport checking at both immigration and emigration, but it’s just at the overseas airports that these ‘new’ checks are being enforced?

In other words – I don’t particularly need to allow extra time for going through LGW, but getting into and out of Italy might take considerably longer? Need to ensure I don’t have to leave the meeting before I even get there…….

We were in Pisa last month and it was apocalyptic in and out.

Two desks on the way in to process 3 flights, one guy was checking and stamping everyone’s passport the other guy was waving people through as fast as he could.

Coming back there was a huge queue for non-Italian check-ins, a queue from the check-in to security, a queue from security to passport control, a queue from passport control to the gate (which comically changed three times, causing everyone in the queue to about face)

Manchester never looked so good. Allow many hours & good luck

I went from Edinburgh to Greece two weeks ago (Thessoloniki). Via Stanstead on the way out, and Dusseldorf on the way back.

It was absolutely fine, nothing out of the ordinary in terms of waiting.

Same here going to/from Prague/Manchester

We went through Pisa last year and it was the same then, some airports (especially in Italy) seem to encourage a chaotic atmosphere to make the time go quicker.

Yay….. it’s Pisa I’m going to!

Just wait for, you know, Brexit…

Flying out of the East Mids superhub was painless enough a few weeks ago.
Flying back from Turkey was a major pain, nothing bigger than a mobile can be taken on board. Couldn’t even take a Kindle. 🙁
Affects Turkey & a few other countries in that neck of the woods.

Also flying to Pisa in 10 days. Not looking forward to it.

Pray it isn’t raining when you get to Pisa, as they aren’t allowed to empty the plane or luggage if it is

eh? why, or are you taking the piss?

We are starting a week in Tuscany Saturday. Pisa or Florence were the closest airports, but flights were expensive (£200pp each way) so we flew via Rome 2 days earlier, and with an amazing hotel for 2 nights it was still cheaper for a longer holiday! No queues here today. 30 seconds at passport control.

Flew into Palma (Majorca) earlier this week, same day that photo was on the Mail and Sun front pages of ‘passport control chaos’ (clearly Palma airport as you cross a glass bridge just before immigration)
Flew through only a queue of about 6 people in front of us despite only 2 immigration officers open and flights from easy Mids Manchester Birmingham and Stanstesd all landing within an hour of each other (judging by the luggage carousels)
Hopefully returning will be similar but will get there early, won’t be leaving it to chance
Leaving UK was fine (East Mids) once we got past usual Ryanair bag check in chaos

Unfortunately not, it’s something to do with how close the airport is to sea and increased chances of lightning

If you want to experience queues, may I suggest a trip to any of the following;
Atlanta
Chicago O’Hare
Washington Dulles
Miami

Bonus points if you arrive just after a big jet from China or India……