EU Biometric Checks Threaten 'Chaos' as Airport Queue Times Hit Three Hours

The European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) is causing severe airport delays. An airport trade body warns of impending "chaos." The EES requires biometric data, like fingerprints and facial images, from non-EU nationals. This includes travelers from the UK and the US.

ACI Europe, representing the continent’s airports, reports major operational issues. Border control processing times have increased by up to 70%. Waiting times have reached three hours during peak traffic periods.

Escalating Biometric Requirements

The EES began its phased launch on October 12, 2025. Currently, only about 10% of eligible travelers are registered. A significant ramp-up is scheduled for the new year.

Starting January 9, 2026, the registration threshold climbs to 35%. By April 10, 2026, the system is expected to be fully operational. This means 100% of arrivals to the Schengen area will submit biometrics.

ACI Europe Director General Olivier Jankovec voiced strong concerns. He warned that the January increase will cause "much more severe congestion." He also suggested this disruption could involve "serious safety hazards." Jankovec stressed that EES cannot lead to "mayhem for travelers and chaos at our airports."

Key Operational Failures

Airports in France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain are especially affected. Delays have been reported at airports like Lisbon, where 80 police officers were drafted in over Christmas to manage queues. British holidaymakers also reported two-hour queues in Geneva in October. These delays stem from several technical and staffing problems:

• Regular EES system outages undermining border predictability.
• Persistent configuration problems, including partial deployment of self-service kiosks.
• Unavailability of Automated Border Control (ABC) gates for EES processing.
• Insufficient deployment of border guards at airports.
• The continued lack of an effective pre-registration app for travelers.

ACI Europe demands swift action from the European Commission. They seek flexibility in the EES rollout if these operational concerns are not addressed.

Airline and Regulatory Perspective

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), representing global airlines, offered a more cautious view. An IATA spokesperson noted the EES rollout "seems to have been going OK" so far. They acknowledged that requirements are increasing. The association is closely monitoring the situation for potential problems.

Conversely, the European Commission has pushed back on the scale of disruption. A spokesperson for the EU internal affairs minister stated the EES implementation has been "smooth and well-managed." They noted positive feedback from member states. The EU maintains that the full deployment schedule remains on track for April 2026. However, they also noted that some teething issues are to be expected with such a complex system.

For non-EU travelers, the new system replaces manual passport stamping. This aims to improve border security and track overstays. However, the initial phase has created significant passenger discomfort and operational challenges. Stakeholders across the commercial aviation news sector are watching closely. The success of the full EES rollout is critical for the 2026 summer travel season. For more commercial aviation news, visit flying.flights.