The European Union has fully implemented its new Entry/Exit System (EES) without the option to pause checks during peak travel times, a decision that tourism industry representatives warn could cost the Schengen zone up to £3.7 billion in lost British spending annually. The European Commission has chosen not to grant a formal extension of flexibility for the system, despite appeals from nine member states and travel organizations like IATA and ABTA.
Launched in April, the EES has reportedly caused significant airport queues and delays, leading to passengers missing flights. Previously, the 29 participating EU countries could temporarily suspend checks to alleviate pressure. However, as of Sunday, September 6, this flexibility has ended.
Holiday Extras, a UK travel company, stated that the EU's decision to allow the EES safeguard to lapse indicates the border scheme has "failed" and should be abandoned. The company estimates that a full year of the EES could divert £3.7 billion in British tourist spending away from Schengen destinations. This figure is considerably higher than the £1.9 billion initially estimated in May, when a survey by Holiday Extras revealed that 3.3 percent of UK holidaymakers had already altered their plans due to EES queues, with an additional 17.8 percent considering doing so.
Ryanair's chief operational officer, Neal McMahon, described the EES rollout as a "shambles from start to finish," citing that airlines, airports, and border authorities had repeatedly warned Brussels about the system's unreadiness and the anticipated increase in processing times and passenger queues. He added that these warnings were ignored and urged the EU Commission to extend the deadline until at least April 2027.
Despite these criticisms, an EU Commission spokesperson, Markus Lammert, indicated that "additional support" was available for member states experiencing difficulties. He stated that the commission had offered increased assistance and urged concerned member states to enhance their operational preparedness to address remaining challenges by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, the launch of the EU's related ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) travel authorization scheme, originally slated for later this year, appears to have been delayed. Holiday Extras noted that the ETIAS target launch date of "last quarter of 2026" has been removed from the website without an official statement. Matthew Pack, CEO of Holiday Extras, suggested this omission is an unspoken admission that the EES has not functioned as intended, impacting the readiness of ETIAS.
Ryanair's CEO, Michael O’Leary, has previously warned passengers that the airline would not delay flights for those caught in lengthy queues, emphasizing that passengers must be at the boarding gate on time. He identified airports in Lisbon, Madrid, and Athens as particularly problematic due to EES queues, estimating two- to three-hour waits at some border controls. In response to the system's impact, Ryanair had urged the 29 countries operating the EES to suspend it until September to manage summer travel queues.