Airport bosses warn EES is at ‘crisis point’ ahead of summer getaway

Aviation leaders have warned of delays of “up to five hours” at EU borders this summer due to the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), with no signs the EC is considering relaxing its rules.

Airports association ACI Europe joined Airlines for Europe and Iata in writing to EC president Ursula von der Leyen, warning: “We’ve reached a critical point. Waiting times at border control have increased significantly, now reaching up to five hours during peak traffic periods.”

The open letter says: “The current implementation of the EES is creating severe operational consequences disrupting passengers and putting border authorities, airports and airlines under unsustainable pressure.

“We therefore urge your immediate intervention before the situation deteriorates further during the peak summer travel season.” 

They reported “growing operational disruption, including flight delays and missed connections, despite extensive use of the temporary flexibility allowing border control authorities to suspend collection of biometric data”, saying: “This has not prevented excessive queues for passengers.”

In the last week it has been reported EES fingerprint scanners have been taken offline due to passengers sweating, while scanners needing software updates remain unused at French airports, the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel and Eurostar terminals.

Yet EC spokespeople continue to insist EES is “fully operational and works well”.

The commission blamed queues last week on “pre-existing factors, staff shortages and flights concentrated in specific slots”.

In their letter to Von der Leyen, industry leaders noted Europe’s airports would handle 40 million more passengers in July and August than in the previous two months and insisted the commission “must take stock of the reality” to prevent “a significant worsening of an already very difficult situation for passengers”.

They pointed out: “This is not an issue confined to Europe’s largest hubs. Smaller airports serving major tourism destinations are equally affected.

“Passengers have been forced to queue for extended periods outside terminal buildings. Airlines face half empty planes at gate closing time.”

Their letter urged the EC to “immediately provide the flexibility to completely suspend EES” for July and August and to establish “permanent operational flexibility to suspend EES procedures” from September.

This should remain until “the EES platform and interfaces are fully reliable”, self-service kiosks and gates are fully operational and there is adequate staffing at borders.

The warning came as a YouGov poll suggested 75% of UK adults are aware of the delays at EU borders and 36% of recent travellers to Europe reported queues.