British travelers heading to Europe this summer face potential queues of up to five hours at border controls, as new entry rules implemented by the European Union are threatening to bring airports to a "complete standstill," according to aviation chiefs.
The European aviation sector (ACI) has sent an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging an intervention ahead of the peak holiday season. The organization highlights that the recently introduced Entry-Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU citizens to register biometric data such as fingerprints and photos upon first entry and re-verify them upon departure, is proving "unsustainable" for the expected influx of 40 million passengers.
Since its rollout in April, following several delays, waiting times at border control have significantly increased, with some instances reaching five hours during peak periods. The ACI stated that the EES is "creating severe operational consequences disrupting passengers and putting border authorities, airports and airlines under unsustainable pressure." These delays are affecting families with young children, elderly passengers, and individuals with reduced mobility.
Smaller airports serving tourism hotspots are also experiencing significant queues, with passengers sometimes waiting outside terminals. Airlines are reporting issues such as flights departing with empty seats because passengers are still in border control lines. UK airlines have identified Lanzarote, Tenerife South, Malaga, Porto, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Krakow, Paris CDG, Rome, Palma, Malta, Menorca, Milan Linate and Malpensa, Naples, and Budapest as locations likely to experience the worst queues.
While the ACI notes that a suspension of biometric data collection until September has offered some relief, it has not prevented excessive queues or preserved airport and airline operations. The organization argues that continuing the system in its current form would significantly worsen the situation. The ACI also contested claims by the European Commission that the EES is "working well," instead attributing border delays to "demand-driven airline scheduling."
Marco Troncone, chief executive of Aeroporti di Roma, which manages Fiumicino airport, stated that processing times at the border have doubled since the EES launch. Despite the airport investing €12 million (approximately £10 million) in the new system, delays persist. He noted that while his airport has optimized processing to 90 seconds per passenger, this is still too high for the volume of travelers. Troncone suggested that the system's design, rather than its implementation, is the root cause of the problem and that allowing passengers to bypass the new system is the only way to avoid a "disaster" during the upcoming travel weeks.
Most airlines acknowledge the long-term necessity of the EES, as countries like the UK, US, and Australia already operate similar digital border systems. The EES has reportedly identified over 7,000 individuals who have overstayed their welcome in the months since its introduction. However, the rollout has been complicated by some EU member states attempting to integrate their national systems with the EES platform, with each nation responsible for its own technology installation and often using different providers.