The European Union's new border system for non-EU citizens, including Britons, is poised to be a "disaster" and may not be able to handle the upcoming summer travel season, warned Marco Troncone, CEO of Rome's airports company. The Entry-Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU travelers to provide fingerprints and facial scans upon their first entry into the bloc, was rolled out in mid-April after multiple delays.
However, the system's implementation has been plagued by technical issues, resulting in prolonged queues even outside of peak tourist times. In response to the "shocking performance," some airports have reportedly suspended certain checks. "We are very worried for the summer," Troncone told the Financial Times, rating his concern level an "eight or nine" out of ten. He added that the process appears "incompatible with the peak volumes that we are going to face" and suggested that allowing passengers to bypass the new system is the only way to mitigate the impending chaos.
Other aviation and travel industry leaders share these concerns. Stefan Schulte, president of Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, stated at an event in Prague that passengers are already experiencing hours-long queues. He suggested that the EES should be temporarily suspended by Border Force when necessary to prevent "chaos" and to maintain the EU's reputation as a welcoming destination. Christophe Mathieu, chief executive of Brittany Ferries, echoed these sentiments, noting that the implementation has increased port exit times by approximately 50 percent. He argued that the busiest travel period is an inappropriate time to finalize a system that should have been thoroughly tested and operational earlier. Brittany Ferries has proposed carrying out biometric checks during ferry crossings, with staff operating booths on board to allow for seamless passenger disembarkation, but this proposal has not yet gained traction.
Evidence of the system's disruptive effects has already emerged. Earlier in June, a Ryanair flight from Greece to London Luton departed without dozens of passengers due to extensive queues at passport control at Athens International Airport. Ryanair attributed the situation to border delays, while the airport cited congestion related to the EES rollout.