Airlines, airports call to suspend EES during peak holiday period

Airlines and airports are urging the European Union to pause its new biometric border screening system – the Entry-Exit System (EES) – during the busy summer travel season, warning that it is causing major disruptions.

They say some flights are departing with empty seats because passengers are delayed by border processing, with queues reportedly stretching to as long as five hours.

In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, industry representatives called for a mechanism that would allow authorities to temporarily suspend the biometric checks when travel volumes peak.

They argue that without greater flexibility, delays and congestion are likely to worsen as summer holiday travel reaches its busiest period.

READ MORE: Stop pretending Europe's EES is working, says airports chief

“We have reached a critical point,” said the industry groups ACI Europe, which represents airports, Airlines 4 Europe and the International Air Transport Association, which represents airlines. “Passengers have already been forced to queue for extended periods outside terminal buildings and on exposed aprons because border control facilities cannot process arrivals quickly enough.”

“Airlines face half-empty planes at gate closing time, while passengers are stuck in border control queues.”

Airlines say the new border screening procedures are creating significant delays, with some aircraft forced to wait for late-arriving passengers while others have departed without travellers who were still stuck in long immigration lines.

According to industry groups, queues have stretched to as much as five hours during the busiest periods.

They have urged the European Commission to give airports the authority to temporarily halt the biometric checks in July and August whenever passenger numbers overwhelm border control capacity.

The biometric entry system, introduced in phases since October last year, requires non-EU travellers to provide fingerprints and have their photograph taken on arrival.

However, its implementation has been troubled, prompting Greece to suspend the checks for British visitors until September in an effort to ease congestion during the busy summer months.

European airports are expected to process some 40 million more passengers in July and August than the previous two months, the groups said.

“The commission and the member states must take stock of the reality of the current situation and of what our air transport system will face over the coming weeks,” the letter warned.

Teething problems

Meanwhile, new research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) says that prolonged border delays associated with the rollout of EES could significantly impact international tourism.

The study, based on a survey of more than 2,500 travellers from four of Europe's key source markets—the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Australia—reveals that lengthy waits at border crossings could deter millions from visiting the Schengen Area.

According to the findings, released earlier this month, if travellers regularly encounter border delays of three to four hours when entering Schengen countries, around one-third would be much less likely to travel to the region or would choose alternative destinations altogether.

When these responses are applied to projected visitor numbers for 2026, the potential impact becomes substantial, with up to 41 million arrivals and $45.4 billion in tourism spending at risk.

“The introduction of EES is an important step forward in modernizing Europe’s borders and strengthening security,” said Gloria Guevara, president & CEO of WTTC, in a statement.

“Our research clearly shows that travellers support digital and biometric border systems and understand the long-term benefits they can deliver.

“As with any major transformation, there will inevitably be teething problems. The challenge now is not whether EES should proceed, but how governments, border authorities and the Travel & Tourism sector work together to ensure implementation is as smooth as possible.”

The “good news,” said Guevara, is that “solutions already exist.”

“By making greater use of digital pre-registration tools, improving traveller communications and ensuring operational readiness at border crossing points, Europe can reduce friction and deliver the seamless experience travellers expect,” she said.

By the numbers

WTTC’s research shows strong support for the EES.

After learning about the system, 65 per cent of travellers said they support EES, while only six per cent expressed strong opposition to biometric border controls.

Travellers identified enhanced border security (57 per cent), faster processing on future trips (52 per cent), and increased confidence in border controls (43 per cent) as the key benefits of the new system.

However, awareness remains a significant challenge, says the WTTC.

More than half of respondents (55 per cent) have heard little or nothing about EES, and nearly half (49 per cent) do not know what will be required of them when entering or leaving the Schengen Area.

Two more years?

However, the new border system may not “stabilize” for another two years, one official has warned.

Uku Särekanno, a director of the EU border agency Frontex, said some member states were “struggling” to adopt the EES.

“We expect that the situation will stabilize in one or two years," Särekannotold said at a recent event hosted by the UK travel association Abta, as reported by the Guardian.

“The most challenging part is the first enrolment, that is the moment where fingerprints and facial images will be taken. If a person is visiting the EU again, they don’t have to go through the same process, so they can have a more fast track of entry.”

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