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More than 100 passengers were left stranded in Milan after an easyJet flight to Manchester took off without them following huge passport control queues linked to new EU border checks. Among those caught up in the chaos was Vicky Chapman, 26, from Pensby, who had been due to fly home on Sunday morning with partner Adam Hoijord, five-year-old son Fredrik, mother Lynne Chapman and brother Dan Chapman after a family holiday.

The family were booked onto the 11am easyJet flight from Milan Linate Airport to Manchester. She told the Liverpool Echo: "We got to the airport with more than enough time, and got to our gate at 9.30am, but we were totally refused entry through passport control.We were then told that we are a 'no show' on our flight because we did not get to the gate on time, even though passport control had issues and they would not let us through." The 11am flight was held for 59 minutes but eventually departed as the crew approached the end of their permitted working hours. We were passed from pillar to post for three hours and no-one helped us," she added. "It was so hot in the airport, people were vomiting, people were almost passing out."

"We're being told that Tuesday is the earliest we can get back, and that we have to fly to Gatwick. We've had to pay out of pocket for an Airbnb."

Vicky and her family were among 105 passengers left behind when the Manchester-bound flight eventually departed.

Another passeneger, Kiera, 17, from Oldham, told the BBC she had been feeling unwell with suspected food poisoning while waiting.

She said: "At about ten-fifty they brought some water over for people, and when we got to the front of the queue someone asked us if we were going to Manchester, and told us our flight had just gone.

"There were only about 30 people got on the plane, and about 100 people didn't."

She said her family had spent around £520 on replacement flights to Gatwick and onward travel back to Greater Manchester and claimed easyJet offered £12.25 in compensation.

Adam Lomas, 33, from Wakefield, who was travelling with his wife Katy and their four-month-old daughter, said some passengers had booked hotels while others travelled to different airports, including Pisa, in a bid to get home.

He said: " "We are trying to find a hotel and we are going to have to book a flight to London and then get from London to Manchester because our daughter's babyseat is there.

"The airport and easyJet have spent hours arguing with each other about who is to blame."

The disruption comes just days after the European Union introduced its new Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires some travellers entering or leaving the Schengen area to provide biometric details including fingerprints and photographs.

The UK Government has warned travellers that the new system could cause significantly longer waits at border control.

Foreign Office advice states: "EES may take each passenger extra time to complete so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border."

An easyJet spokesperson said: "We are aware that some passengers departing from Milan Linate today experienced longer than usual waiting times at passport control and we advised customers due to fly to allow additional time to make their way through the airport.

"We have been doing all possible to minimise the impact of the airport queues, holding flights to allow customers extra time and providing free flight transfers for any customers who may have missed their flight including EJU5420 to Manchester.

"We continue to urge border authorities to ensure they make full and effective use of the permitted flexibilities for as long as needed while EES is implemented, to avoid these unacceptable border delays for our customers.

"While this is outside of our control, we are sorry for any inconvenience caused."