EU airports suspend biometric border checks as summer queues soar

Several major European airports are temporarily suspending biometric border checks under the European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) during peak travel periods, as authorities seek to ease long queues and prevent disruption to summer travel, POLITICO reports.

The measure, permitted under EU regulations in exceptional circumstances, allows border officials to temporarily halt the collection of fingerprints and facial scans when passenger volumes overwhelm border infrastructure.

According to airport operators and airlines, the derogation has been used at hubs including Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Brussels, and Milan.

"When lines form during the busy summer months, the system is shut off to ensure smooth transit at our hubs in Paris and Amsterdam," Air France-KLM said.

The EES, which applies to non-EU nationals entering the 29-country Schengen Area, replaced traditional passport stamping with biometric registration. Travelers are normally required to provide fingerprints and facial photographs, which are stored for three years, before proceeding through electronic gates or border control. The system is intended to strengthen border security and help authorities identify visa overstays.

European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier defended the new system, emphasizing its long-term security benefits.

"The advantages of the new system for the EU are evident," Mercier said. "It increases the security of EU citizens and replaces paper stamping with a modern system of registration and checks."

The Commission has previously said the biometric checks have enabled authorities to detect cases of identity fraud that would otherwise "likely have gone undetected."

However, the rollout has created significant operational challenges, particularly at busy tourist gateways, where first-time registrations require additional processing and staffing.

Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr said the system has already disrupted travel.

"Connecting flights were missed due to the EU entry system," he said.

In response to pressure from the aviation and travel industries, the European Commission introduced a temporary waiver allowing biometric registration to be suspended until September 6 when exceptional congestion occurs.

Staffing shortages have further complicated implementation. At Milan Malpensa Airport, border control officer Cristian Sternativo said existing personnel are insufficient to operate the system efficiently.

"It is unthinkable" to expect the EES to function at full capacity with current staffing levels because the new procedures "require more time," he said.

Belgian authorities confirmed that border police have also exercised the derogation at Brussels Airport, where operational pressures led to hundreds of passengers missing flights earlier this year.

Despite the temporary suspension of biometric collection during peak periods, border authorities insist security standards remain intact. Belgium's federal police stressed that travelers continue to be registered in the Entry/Exit System and that all required travel document data are still entered into the database.

The EES, first adopted in 2017 after years of delays, is expected to be followed by the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), an online pre-travel authorization program for visa-exempt visitors. ETIAS, originally scheduled to launch several years ago, has now been postponed until 2027.

By Vafa Guliyeva