Aviation industry leaders urge EU to suspend new EES system amid summer travel chaos

Europe's airports and airlines are urging the European Commission to temporarily suspend the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES), warning that lengthy border control delays are disrupting travel and forcing flights to depart with empty seats.

In an open letter sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on July 1, industry groups said waiting times at some border crossings have reached up to five hours during peak travel periods, as The Economist reports.

The letter, signed by ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), calls on the Commission to allow participating countries to fully suspend EES checks during July and August, the busiest months of the summer travel season.

Describing the situation as having reached a "critical point," the organizations also urged Brussels to establish, by September, a permanent mechanism allowing border authorities to suspend the system in exceptional circumstances.

“Delays are impacting millions of passengers entering the Schengen Area, including families traveling with young children, elderly passengers and persons with reduced mobility,” the letter said.

The groups warned that airports and airlines are facing severe operational pressure and argued that the EU's international reputation is being damaged.

“Passengers have already been forced to queue for extended periods outside terminal buildings and on exposed aprons because border control facilities cannot process arrivals quickly enough.”

They further informed Von der Leyen, that airlines "faceface half-empty planes at gate closing time, while passengers are stuck in border control queues.”

New border system under pressure

The Entry/Exit System digitally records the arrivals and departures of short-stay visitors from non-EU countries entering most EU member states, replacing traditional passport stamps with biometric registration.

The system applies across the Schengen Area, including non-EU members Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, while Cyprus and Ireland are not part of the scheme.

First-time travelers covered by the system must have their passports scanned and provide fingerprints and a facial image at the border.

The phased rollout began in October 2025, with the system becoming fully operational across 29 participating countries on April 10, 2026.

According to an ACI Europe survey, queues at the worst-affected airports reached up to 3.5 hours during peak periods in May.

Low-cost carrier Wizz Air has advised passengers to arrive at airports at least three hours before departure to avoid missing flights.

The disruption has already resulted in missed departures. In April, more than 100 passengers were unable to board an easyJet flight from Milan to Manchester after becoming stuck in border control queues.

Smaller airports handling large numbers of non-EU travelers have been particularly affected, with significant bottlenecks reported at Spain's Alicante and Lanzarote airports.

According to the article, major hubs are also struggling. On June 25, the head of Rome's airport operator told the Financial Times that the Italian capital would temporarily stop collecting facial images and fingerprints during the peak summer season to ease congestion.

Several countries with large tourism sectors, including Greece and Portugal, have also partially suspended elements of the system under a temporary exemption granted by the European Union for the summer.

However, that exemption is due to expire after the holiday season, prompting industry groups to renew calls for Brussels to postpone the full implementation of the Entry/Exit System until operational challenges are resolved.

By Nazrin Sadigova