EU Airport Chief Stefan Schulte has sounded the alarm over the new Entry-Exit System (EES), warning that widespread disruption is looming at Europe's airports due to its failure to handle increased passenger numbers. With peak summer travel just around the corner, Mr Schulte has urged politicians to take action, stating 'I don't know how we are going to cope' with expected delays.
The EES, fully implemented earlier this year, requires non-EU citizens to register biometric data upon entering and exiting most EU countries. While some airports have reported a smooth transition, others have experienced significant delays, causing frustration among passengers who have missed flights due to lengthy queues at peak times.
Mr Schulte's call for urgent intervention comes as the European Commission has indicated that airports may suspend the EES under certain circumstances until early September. However, Mr Schulte believes this temporary measure is insufficient, given that the summer travel period extends beyond September.
Budget airline Wizz Air has advised passengers to allocate at least three hours for passing through the new system in popular holiday destinations, citing significant queues at 'usual hotspots' such as Spain, Portugal and France. Yvonne Moynihan, UK boss for Wizz Air, noted that some areas have seen 'seamless travel', but added 'we can't keep waiting for the situation to get worse before doing something about it.'
The industry expert's warnings come amid earlier controversy over potential exemptions for British tourists in Greece, which was later denied by the Greek Foreign Ministry. Mr Schulte has urged a fundamental rethink of the current processes and called for full flexibility for border control authorities to suspend the EES whenever necessary to prevent further chaos.