What is the EU Entry/Exit System (EES)?

The EES is a new biometric border control system requiring fingerprints and photos from non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen Area.

What are the expected disruptions for UK travellers in the EU this summer?

UK travellers are warned of potential significant disruptions, including queues of up to four hours at European airports due to the EES rollout.

Home / Business and Economy / EU Airport Chaos: 4-Hour Queues Expected This Summer

EU Airport Chaos: 4-Hour Queues Expected This Summer

Q: What issues are causing delays with the EU's EES rollout?

Delays are compounded by chronic understaffing at border controls, unresolved technical malfunctions, and limited uptake of the Frontex pre-registration app.

11 Feb

•

Summary

UK travellers warned of four-hour queues at EU airports this summer.
New biometric system requires fingerprints and photos from non-EU nationals.
Aviation bodies demand EU action to prevent 'excessive' delays.
System rollout faces issues with understaffing and technical malfunctions.

EU Airport Chaos: 4-Hour Queues Expected This Summer

British travellers are being alerted to potential significant disruptions at European airports this summer, with fears of queues extending up to four hours. The cause is the ongoing rollout of the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES), a new biometric border control that requires fingerprints and photographs from non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen Area. This system, which has seen a flexible timeline for implementation until early September for 29 countries, is already causing lengthy waits and technical problems at various airports, with passengers reportedly missing flights due to processing times up to 70% longer.

Aviation industry groups, including ACI Europe, IATA, and Airlines for Europe (A4E), have formally requested an immediate review of the delays. They have written to the EU commissioner for internal affairs and migration, highlighting critical issues such as chronic understaffing at border controls, unresolved technical malfunctions, and low uptake of the Frontex pre-registration app. These compounding factors are exacerbating delays. The European Commission maintains the system is largely operating without issues, but industry representatives strongly dispute this, warning of severe disruptions as airport traffic doubles during the summer months.