British tourists are experiencing passport control queues up to three times longer than usual when travelling to the European Union, airport staff have reported. The digital Entry Exit System (EES), rolled out in October, requires non-EU citizens to register fingerprints and photos upon entering the Schengen area, with checks repeated on departure. The process is conducted at automated kiosks or by border officers for children under 12.
Technical bugs cause lengthy delays
Border police have reported that the EES technology has suffered from bugs, leading to extensive queues. Some airports have seen wait times lasting multiple hours, and passengers have missed flights as a result. Ivan Bassato, Rome Airport's Chief Aviation Officer, told the BBC that while e-gate integration has 'improved things significantly', the time for UK nationals to pass through border control has risen from seven to 20 minutes. 'I think that we need to fix urgently certain aspects of the system,' he said.
Passengers share experiences
Yorkshireman Carl, travelling with his family to Rome, faced a two-hour wait to scan passports. 'I knew it was going to be bad, but not as bad as that,' he told the BBC. At Faro Airport in Portugal, border control chief Pedro Oliveira noted that queues sometimes took over 30 minutes, up from 10 minutes, though waits over an hour were rare. Ryanair has warned customers to 'allow extra time for their journey and be prepared for extended waits at passport control' due to 'the failed EES rollout'.
Calls for suspension at peak times
Airlines and airports have urged the European Commission (EC) to allow suspension of the EES during busy periods, though states can already do so in exceptional circumstances. The EC stated that disruption at most EU airports is limited and that support is being provided to member states as the system is phased in, adding: 'This support will continue to the fullest extent possible.'
