Europe's Airports Brace for Summer Travel Chaos Under New Border Control System

European airports are bracing for potential chaos this summer as a new border control system, the Entry/Exit System (EES), is set to be fully implemented. Operators warn that the system, designed to bolster EU external border security, could lead to hours-long waits and significant disruptions in air travel.

“

We are very concerned about the summer.

Marco Troncone, CEO of Aeroporti di Roma, expressed serious concern about the upcoming tourist season. He stated that the EES, which mandates biometric registration, fingerprints and photographs, for non-EU citizens upon their first entry into the Schengen area, appears incompatible with peak travel loads. "There is no way we can carry out 100 percent of the registrations," Troncone warned, emphasizing the urgent need for temporary relief or partial suspension of certain procedures to avoid major congestion.

Since its phased implementation began in mid-April, the EES has already encountered numerous challenges. Airports report technical difficulties, malfunctioning automated kiosks, and the formation of long queues, even before the peak tourist season has fully commenced. Issues include self-service terminals failing to complete the process correctly and passengers needing to re-register, further slowing down operations.

“

There is no way we can carry out 100 percent of the registrations.

Olivier Jankovec, head of the European airport association ACI Europe, echoed these concerns, calling for urgent improvements. "The processes must work better. We need the self-service terminals to work, and currently they do not," he said. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that wait times at the busiest airports could reach up to six hours this summer. Despite these warnings, the European Commission maintains that the system is functioning according to plan.

“

The processes must work better. We need the self-service terminals to work, and currently they do not.