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We just returned from the UK and France. Thankfully, we flew in and out of London Heathrow Airport (LHR). This meant that I did not have to deal with the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) and the hours-long lines that are being reported across Europe. As a result of the chaos, the continent’s aviation industry is calling on the European Commission to temporarily suspend the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) during peak travel periods and warning that the new digital border control program is causing delays of up to five hours at some airports.
In an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, ACI EUROPE, Airlines for Europe (A4E), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the EES rollout has reached a “critical point.” The system has created long border queues, missed flight connections, delayed departures, and mounting operational challenges across the continent.
The Entry/Exit System became fully operational across the Schengen Area in April 2026. This replaced passport stamps for most non-EU travelers with a digital system that records entries and exits using biometric data (including facial recognition and fingerprints). While designed to improve border security and identify visa overstays, airlines and airports argue the system is overwhelming border facilities during periods of high passenger demand.
According to the aviation groups, some travelers are facing waits of up to five hours at immigration checkpoints while smaller airports serving popular vacation destinations have seen queues stretch outside terminal buildings. With passenger numbers expected to surge by an estimated 40 million travelers across Europe during July and August compared to the previous two months, the organizations are urging the European Commission to allow member states to temporarily suspend EES processing whenever border facilities become overloaded.
Specifically, the industry is asking Brussels to immediately authorize countries to pause EES operations throughout the peak summer season and establish a permanent flexibility mechanism by September that would allow border authorities to suspend the system during exceptional operational circumstances. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has also backed the proposal and warned that prolonged border delays could damage Europe’s competitiveness as a global tourism destination.
According to WTTC analysis, consistent border waits of three hours or longer could discourage roughly one-third of potential visitors from traveling to the Schengen Area. If that trend materializes, Europe could risk losing up to 41 million international arrivals and an estimated $45.4 billion in visitor spending.
Anthony’s Take: The aviation industry maintains that while it supports stronger border security and digital modernization, the Entry/Exit System must be implemented in a way that does not disrupt travel during Europe’s busiest tourism periods.
(Image Credits: BalkansCat and BeritK via iStock.)
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2 comments
I went in and out a few times but never experienced the said long queues, I passed through large and small airports. The EU also officially says there is no significant delay at the border to justify the pause but each country has its own right to pause it until September so I am not really sure what these organizations are asking for when there’s a system in place to pause during the summer. Also, these tourism organizations keep saying there is a massive queue at immigration but never show any statistics so I am quite puzzled if there is a long queue or not … Would be nice to see the actual statistics and understand the pattern so I can avoid certain airports
I just returned from Malta. Both on the way in and out there was no queue. I honestly hope they do not suspend it everywhere. Some airports are handling it fine, and once we have entered and recorded biometrics, it eases the way as ETIAS is launched, I would imagine. The more of us in there, the easier. My entry and exit from MLA were as simple and fast as entering the UK via eGates, despite visiting a human who had me place my hand down for fingerprints and take a photo.
Maybe we should publish lists of the “good airports” where it is fast, and people can choose to enter Schengen that way and take domestic flights or trains to their destination until the other airports get it together. Flying is exhausting enough.