EU Entry/Exit System causes three-hour delays at airports across Europe

Airport groups warn the situation could worsen during the summer travel season as passengers miss flights

The EU's new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) is now fully mandatory, but airports across Europe are struggling with severe delays that have caused passengers to miss their flights.

According to Politico, data from airport lobby ACI Europe, gathered across 15 countries, shows border control queues have stretched to two to three hours or longer during busy periods since full enforcement began on Friday.

ACI Europe chief Olivier Jankovec warned that conditions could deteriorate further:

"With traffic volumes set to rise further in the coming weeks and months, as is customary during the summer season, we are deeply concerned about the situation worsening and becoming unmanageable."

The EES captures biometric data, including fingerprints and facial scans, from non-EU travelers the first time they enter the Schengen zone for a short visit. It replaces traditional passport stamps and aims to reduce the number of visitors who overstay their visas. The system launched gradually from October and reached full operation last week.

Widespread disruptions across the continent

Multiple countries have reported chaos at border checkpoints. At Rome's Fiumicino Airport, queues grew so long they spilled outside the terminal building, according to Stefano Paoloni of Italy's Autonomous Police Union.

One UK-bound flight took off with 51 passengers left behind. On Sunday, a Milan to Manchester flight departed while more than 100 travelers remained trapped in border queues.

Three airport officials, speaking anonymously, revealed the EES crashed at several Italian airports on Friday morning, with technical issues persisting into Monday. Airports in Portugal and Belgium temporarily stopped collecting biometric data over the weekend to avoid further passenger disruptions.

App rollout remains limited

Countries can offer a dedicated app to help travelers submit their biometric data in advance, but availability remains extremely limited. Currently, only Sweden allows travelers to upload their data through the app before arrival. Portugal has the app available, but it can only be used to complete a questionnaire rather than submit biometrics.

Commission stands by the system

The European Commission maintains there is no widespread issue and insists member states must staff border control adequately.

Spokesperson Markus Lammert noted that the EES has already logged over 52 million border crossings and flagged 27,000 entry refusals, including nearly 700 individuals deemed security threats.

The Commission claims processing each traveler takes roughly 70 seconds, but that figure only covers time at the kiosk, not the hours spent waiting to reach one.