Senior figures within Europe's airport industry are sounding the alarm over the troubled implementation of the EU's digital border control system, warning that it could collapse under pressure unless urgent changes are made. Stefan Schulte, President of ACI Europe and head of the company that owns Frankfurt Airport, claims politicians must stop pretending that the Entry-Exit System (EES) is working smoothly, as reports flood in of passengers facing lengthy queues at peak travel times.
The EES, fully rolled out this year, requires travellers from outside the EU – including British citizens – to submit biometric data such as facial scans and fingerprints upon entering most Schengen zone countries. This information is checked upon departure. While some nations report a smooth implementation, others have experienced significant delays, resulting in passengers missing flights.
Schulte highlighted the pressing issues: "Passengers are queueing for hours at peak traffic times and I just do not know how we will be able to cope in the coming weeks with the expected increase in traffic." He cautioned that if the current problems persist beyond early September, when summer travel typically subsides, the system could face a complete collapse.
Recent incidents underscore these concerns. Dozens of Ryanair passengers were left behind in Athens earlier this month after their flight to London Luton departed without them, with the airline attributing the issue to border delays. Similar problems occurred in April, when passengers flying from Milan Bergamo and Milan Linate to Manchester missed flights due to passport control issues.
Wizz Air has previously advised British holidaymakers to arrive at European airports three hours before their scheduled departure for their return journey to the UK, anticipating lengthy queues caused by new border checks. Schulte is advocating for urgent flexibility, urging border control authorities to be able to suspend EES checks when necessary to avoid further disruption and calling for a fundamental "rethink of those processes." The European Commission has allowed EES to be suspended in some circumstances until September, but the decision ultimately rests with individual governments – a process that can itself cause delays.
The situation regarding potential exemptions for British nationals remains unclear. Greece's tourism minister had initially suggested British passengers would not face biometric checks this summer, a claim later disputed by the Greek Foreign Ministry. Reports also surfaced that Portugal and Italy were considering similar exemptions, but the European Commission has stated there are no such plans in place.