EES ‘starting to act as deterrent to travel’, European airports trade body warns

“Unacceptable” queues due to the EU Entry-Exit System (EES) are starting to deter travellers, Europe’s airport trade body has warned.

 

The concern over delays at border controls follows a slowing in passenger growth in the three months to June due to the Middle East conflict.

 

ACI Europe reported a 2.6% year on year rise in passenger numbers across the European airport network in the first six months of 2026.

 

But the pace of growth “markedly” slowed down in the second quarter (+1.3%) against +4.3% in the first three months of the year, “reflecting the impact of the war in the Middle East with much decreased traffic to the region and some airlines cutting capacity in response to higher jet fuel prices”.

 

As a result, domestic passenger traffic (+3%) outperformed international passenger levels (+2.5%) in the first half for the first time since the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. 

 

Meanwhile, Iata reported a 1.7% decline in global demand for air travel in June compared to the same month last year.

 

ACI Europe director general Olivier Jankovec said: “There is no escaping the fact that geopolitics have increasingly been shaping traffic performance this year.

 

“Growth has clearly lost momentum, with passenger traffic stalling – or even declining – in a number of national markets as of June. 

 

“Importantly, this is more a story of supply shocks and pressures rather than weakening demand. Europeans continue to prioritise air travel while North Americans continue to visit our continent in record numbers this summer.”

He added: “Looking ahead, fixing the Schengen Entry-Exit System must be Europe’s immediate priority.

 

“Long, unpredictable and unacceptable waiting times at border control have started acting as a deterrent to travel – and undermine the standing and reputation of Europe as an efficient and welcoming destination. 

“Beyond that, the evolution of the war in the Middle East – and its operational as well as macro-economic repercussions – will largely determine the trajectory of European air traffic through the remainder of the year.

 

“European aviation is definitely operating in a far more volatile environment than in the decade before the pandemic,” Jankovec noted.

 

Outgoing Iata director general Willie Walsh said the June performance was “largely due to domestic market declines in China, the US, and Japan, and weak but improving international demand for Middle East carriers. 

 

“While Middle East performance improved, renewed tensions will not help the region’s recovery and the knock-on impact of rising fuel prices will continue to burden travelers with higher airfares. 

“People continue to travel, which is an important contributor to global economic growth. There is no doubt, however, that stabilising the situation in the Middle East and normalising oil supplies would improve prospects for airlines, economies and societies the world over."

 

Heathrow remained the busiest European airport, handling a record 40 million passengers – a +0.2% increase over the first half of 2025. 

 

The London hub kept being closely followed by Istanbul with 39.84 million passengers (+1.6%). 

 

Gatwick (-5.2%), Munich (-4.2%) and Frankfurt (-0.8%) underperformed while Amsterdam-Schiphol (-0.3%), Paris-CDG (-0.2%) and Rome-Fiumicino (+0.3%) were essentially flat, according to ACI Europe.

 

Small airports handling less than one million passengers were the fastest growing segment year on year, with numbers up by 8.6%. But they remain the only ones not having recovered their pre-pandemic passenger levels (-33.2%).