Rome airports may suspend EU biometric entry system amid summer queue chaos

The European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES), a digital biometric border check that records fingerprints and facial images for non‑EU travelers, has caused long queues at Rome's Fiumicino and Ciampino airports. Operational problems have led to waiting times of three to six hours and missed flights during the peak summer travel period.

Airport chief Marco Troncone warned that “we are very concerned about the summer” and said the only way to avoid a “disaster” is to suspend the system for passengers from outside the EU. ACI Europe president Stefan Schulte added that “the system does not work” and that any decision to pause it must come from EU governments, not the airports themselves. The European Commission has indicated it can invoke an “integrated flexibility” clause to halt parts of the scheme. IATA has cautioned that queue times could reach six hours, while Frontex deputy director Uku Särekanno said the situation may not stabilise for up to two years.