EU border checks strain European airports, causing delays and half‑empty flights

Airlines and airport groups wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warning that new entry‑exit checks are creating queues of up to five hours at EU airports. Passengers are forced to wait outside terminals and many flights are departing with many empty seats. The industry, represented by ACI Europe, Airlines 4 Europe and IATA, urged the Commission to suspend the checks during the July‑August summer peak, when an estimated 40 million additional travelers are expected. They argue that the current system – requiring non‑EU citizens to register fingerprints and photos at the destination airport – is overloaded, harming Europe’s tourism reputation and connectivity. The groups asked for flexible, temporary exemptions whenever passenger volumes exceed the processing capacity of border‑control facilities.