Long queues, missed flights and broken machines are disrupting travel across Europe as airports warn the EU’s new digital border system is struggling to cope with peak summer demand.
Airport operators and airlines are raising fresh concerns over the European Union’s new digital border system after travellers reported waiting hours at passport control, with some missing their flights because of lengthy delays.
The new Entry-Exit System (EES) requires travellers from outside the EU, including British and American visitors, to register biometric information such as fingerprints and facial images when entering most countries in the Schengen area.
While the system is designed to strengthen border security and modernise travel, airports say its rollout has been far from smooth.
Berlin Airport chief executive Aletta von Massenbach said non-EU travellers arriving at one of the airport’s terminals, used mainly by Ryanair and Wizz Air, are facing queues lasting between one and two hours.
“We see now that they start to understand that this is a situation that is not bearable, not bearable over the summer,” she said after a high-level meeting in Brussels.
Airport operators say the delays could become even worse as Europe enters its busiest travel season.
The Airports Council International (ACI Europe) has warned that passengers are already waiting as long as five hours at some border checkpoints during peak periods.
The group also said airlines risk departing with empty seats because passengers remain stuck in immigration queues even after boarding begins.
Travellers have also shared frustrating experiences.
Anne Robinson, from Dunbarton in Scotland, said she and her 13-year-old son were caught in long queues during a trip to Rome in June.
“We ended up in a queue, I’d say, for about 90 minutes just to get into Rome,” she said.
“Everyone was kind of surprised and complaining, because we couldn’t understand why it was taking so long.”
Their return journey proved even more stressful.
Robinson said they arrived at Rome airport three-and-a-half hours before departure, only to discover that many of the EES machines were not working.
“Most of the machines were out of order. In fact, you could see a lot of machines just laying around, not working,” she said.
After waiting another 90 minutes at border control, they missed their flight and had to spend an extra £250 on replacement tickets two days later.
“I’m not going back to Europe this year,” Robinson said. “That was too stressful.”
Airlines are also calling for urgent action.
Airlines UK and Airlines for America said the rollout has been inconsistent and urged the European Commission and member states to introduce contingency measures before summer travel reaches its peak.
Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy described the continued implementation of the system as baffling, as it was clearly not functioning properly.
He argued that temporarily suspending EES checks at airports experiencing technical problems would provide a much better experience for travellers.
The European Commission acknowledged there have been difficulties but insisted the impact has remained limited at most airports.
A spokesperson said efforts are continuing to minimise disruption and added that some member states have failed to provide enough border officers, infrastructure and automated equipment to support the system.
Meanwhile, technology problems have delayed the full rollout of EES at the Port of Dover in the UK, where French border checks are carried out.
A new processing area with 84 biometric kiosks has already been installed but remains unused because the necessary technology has not yet been activated by the French authorities.
Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister warned lawmakers that “time is rapidly running out” to resolve the issue before the height of the summer holiday season.
Although the Entry-Exit System is intended to make border crossings faster and more secure in the long term, airports, airlines and travellers say significant improvements are needed quickly to prevent further disruption during one of Europe’s busiest travel periods.
