EU Entry/Exit System triggers airport delays across Europe

The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), operational since April, requires non‑EU travelers to register fingerprints and facial images at border checkpoints. Technical glitches, insufficient staffing and a shortage of biometric kiosks have produced long queues, with wait times of up to five hours reported at several airports.

Airlines and airport operators, including Ryanair and the Berlin‑Brandenburg Airport director Aletta von Massenbach, warn that families could be trapped in “queue chaos” during the summer travel peak. Reported problem airports include Tenerife South, Palma, Alicante, Málaga, Milan Bergamo, Kraków, Paris‑Beauvais and Dover, where 84 biometric booths remain non‑functional.

The European Commission, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, has rejected calls to suspend the rollout despite acknowledgment of “20 difficult spots.” It argues that a partial suspension would create inconsistencies and could strand travelers. Additional staff have been deployed to Brussels and Lisbon, and some member states, such as Greece, have temporarily paused the system for the season.

The EU claims the overall impact is limited, noting that the system has already recorded 110 million journeys and refused entry to about 44 500 individuals for security or overstaying reasons. Industry groups continue to press for emergency measures to avoid further disruption to holiday travel.