Chaos at EU entry points: Expiring flexibility rules bring back kilometre-long queues

Travellers entering the European Union from outside the bloc could once again face long queues at the border as the flexibility period for the Entry/Exit System expires.

Airlines asked the European Commission last week to extend its discretionary power to suspend EES checks when necessary through the end of 2026. The current flexibility deadline expires on Sept. 6. The request follows long queues at some European airports earlier in the summer, when many passengers reportedly missed flights.

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awaiting confirmation from the French authorities on when this next phase will take place

The aviation and tourism industries say a repeat of that disruption was avoided largely because authorities relaxed rules requiring biometric information, including fingerprints from travellers who are not EU citizens. Brussels has not extended the discretionary period. However, people crossing the English Channel to France are not expected to face changes next week because of technical problems with software ordered by French authorities.

Fingerprint kiosks purchased at considerable cost by Eurotunnel, the Port of Dover and Eurostar at London St Pancras are still not operational. Dover said it expected no change the following week, and drivers of cars were not yet subject to EES checks. A Eurotunnel spokesperson said the company was “awaiting confirmation from the French authorities on when this next phase will take place” but was “ready to implement full biometric checks as soon as official authorization is granted.”

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ready to implement full biometric checks as soon as official authorization is granted

A senior airline source said the industry would monitor the situation closely but did not expect the law to be fully enforced at the busiest European airports. Border authorities in major tourist destinations, particularly Greece, have reportedly informally exempted British passengers from EES checks to avoid queues, and the source expected that practice to continue.

Luke Petherbridge, public affairs director at the UK tourism trade body Abta, said the organization was still pressing the European Commission to allow discretionary suspension of border checks after September. He said this reflected the fact that “there is still a long way to go before EES is fully and consistently operational in all participating countries.” The airline trade group Iata has also sought an official extension, saying EES-related delays had caused passengers to miss flights and connections.

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there is still a long way to go before EES is fully and consistently operational in all participating countries