The UK's summer holiday season is set for chaos as the EU's new biometric border system, EES, causes widespread disruption. Aviation industry leaders have urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to suspend the system, citing 'severe operational consequences' that threaten to ruin thousands of breaks.
Industry bodies ACI Europe (Airports Council International Europe), Airlines 4 Europe and IATA (International Air Transport Association) have written a joint open letter to Von der Leyen. They warn that millions of passengers are already being impacted, with extended queues - some lasting five hours - and numerous missed flights reported.
Smaller airports serving popular tourist destinations are also struggling to cope, with passengers queuing for prolonged periods outside terminal buildings and on exposed aprons due to insufficient border control facilities. As a result, airlines face the challenge of half-empty planes at gate closing times, as passengers remain stuck in queues.
The EES system, designed to replace traditional passport stamps with a digital fingerprint database, has been described as 'clumsy' by industry figures. Stefan Schulte, President of ACI Europe, previously stated that officials should 'stop pretending it's working just fine', highlighting the importance of respecting travellers and safeguarding the EU's reputation.
Reports in April suggested Greece had explored exempting British tourists from EES, but this was reportedly overridden by Brussels. As a result, UK citizens are subject to the new procedures, which involve biometric data collection upon first entry.
The FCO advises checking individual country requirements due to varying rules and regulations. Travel insurance remains crucial for covering delays and missed connections, particularly in cases of unforeseen operational issues at airports.