EU Entry/Exit System Triples Passport Checks for British Travelers

The European Union’s new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES), now operational across the Schengen area, is causing markedly longer passport‑control queues for non‑EU visitors, especially British nationals. At Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, chief aviation officer Ivan Bassato reported average processing times rising from about seven minutes to around twenty minutes, with some travellers waiting up to two hours and missing connecting flights. Ryanair has warned families to allow extra time for summer travel, citing “queue chaos” at several airports. Similar delays and technical glitches have been reported at Portugal’s Faro Airport, where border police say software bugs are inflating wait times. The European Commission acknowledges that disruptions are limited at most EU airports but says it will continue to support member states in fixing the system. France’s interior ministry claims no major congestion in its airports, while other airports across the bloc are urging flexibility during peak summer traffic.