European Borders Bracing for Summer Disruptions as Biometric Checks Come Online
The rollout of a new entry-exit system (EES) at European borders has sparked fears of summer travel disruptions, with airports warning that passengers could face lengthy queues and a "disastrous" experience unless the biometric controls are relaxed. The system, which requires fingerprinting, photographing, and registering foreign visitors, was initially launched in October but its staggered implementation has led to long queues at some European airports.
The trade body Airports Council International (ACI) Europe has reported that the system is causing delays of up to three hours at some airports, including Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy. Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe's director general, described the chronic understaffing of border control guards as an issue before the rollout of EES, which makes it worse.
"We're routinely seeing queues of up to two hours with only 35% of people coming into Schengen being registered," Jankovec said. "It's not sustainable and we fear it is only going to get worse." He warned that if the situation continues, queues could reach up to five hours in July and August, posing a safety hazard and disrupting passenger experiences.
The UK travel association Abta has urged the EU to ensure all member states and border authorities have been informed of the contingency measures available to avoid long delays. Abta's chief executive, Mark Tanzer, has called for additional border guards at busy times and asked the EU commissioner for migration to review the system.
While some airports, including Eurotunnel in Folkestone and Eurostar's London St Pancras International station, have already begun the phased rollout of EES, others are struggling with technical issues. Many self-service kiosks for EES did not work reliably, while no state bar Sweden had allowed the use of an app to allow travellers to pre-register details.
With only 90 days left until the April deadline, there is growing concern that the system may need to be extended beyond its initial six-week period. Jankovec said airports had "not received formal notification" of any potential extension and expressed concerns about a coordinated European approach to addressing the issues with EES.
The rollout of EES has highlighted the complexities of introducing new biometric technologies at busy border crossings, where understaffing and technical issues can quickly add up. As the summer travel season approaches, it remains to be seen whether the EU's efforts to streamline border controls will succeed in avoiding long queues and disruptions.
The rollout of a new entry-exit system (EES) at European borders has sparked fears of summer travel disruptions, with airports warning that passengers could face lengthy queues and a "disastrous" experience unless the biometric controls are relaxed. The system, which requires fingerprinting, photographing, and registering foreign visitors, was initially launched in October but its staggered implementation has led to long queues at some European airports.
The trade body Airports Council International (ACI) Europe has reported that the system is causing delays of up to three hours at some airports, including Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy. Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe's director general, described the chronic understaffing of border control guards as an issue before the rollout of EES, which makes it worse.
"We're routinely seeing queues of up to two hours with only 35% of people coming into Schengen being registered," Jankovec said. "It's not sustainable and we fear it is only going to get worse." He warned that if the situation continues, queues could reach up to five hours in July and August, posing a safety hazard and disrupting passenger experiences.
The UK travel association Abta has urged the EU to ensure all member states and border authorities have been informed of the contingency measures available to avoid long delays. Abta's chief executive, Mark Tanzer, has called for additional border guards at busy times and asked the EU commissioner for migration to review the system.
While some airports, including Eurotunnel in Folkestone and Eurostar's London St Pancras International station, have already begun the phased rollout of EES, others are struggling with technical issues. Many self-service kiosks for EES did not work reliably, while no state bar Sweden had allowed the use of an app to allow travellers to pre-register details.
With only 90 days left until the April deadline, there is growing concern that the system may need to be extended beyond its initial six-week period. Jankovec said airports had "not received formal notification" of any potential extension and expressed concerns about a coordinated European approach to addressing the issues with EES.
The rollout of EES has highlighted the complexities of introducing new biometric technologies at busy border crossings, where understaffing and technical issues can quickly add up. As the summer travel season approaches, it remains to be seen whether the EU's efforts to streamline border controls will succeed in avoiding long queues and disruptions.
I think this new entry-exit system is going to be a real pain for summer travelers. The tech is still being worked out and airports are super understaffed, which is just going to make things worse. I mean, who wants to spend 3+ hours in a queue when they could be enjoying the airport lounge? 
It's not like these biometric checks are even necessary for most people - some of us have been doing this travel thing for years without any issues! 
And what really gets my goat is that the EU just dropped the ball on notifying airports about potential extensions to the rollout... like, come on guys! Get it together before the deadline. 
they're saying that if they don't relax the system, we'll be stuck in queues for hours it's gonna be a disastrous experience!!! 
airports are already dealing with long delays and understaffing is a big issue #EESprobs #TravelDisruptions #BiometricChecksAreNotReady 
i'm so worried about summer travel!! 
i hope they extend the deadline or add more border guards ASAP!!! 
we need to get thru summer w/o too much drama 
. The thing is, they say there's understaffing and technical issues... yeah, no kidding 
. Maybe they should, like, hire more border guards or something? It's not rocket science, right? 
. Otherwise, I'm just gonna be one of those passengers stuck in a queue all summer... no thanks! 