The chief executive of 14 Greek airports has demanded a major overhaul of the European Union's new border checks, describing them as 'unpleasant and dangerous' for passengers. Alexander Zinell, the head of Fraport Greece, said airports have been forced to erect gazebos to shield travellers from the sun as they queue for processing under the EU's entry-exit system (EES).
System flaws exposed
Zinell joined a growing number of critics highlighting 'fundamental flaws' in the EES, which requires non-EU passengers, including British tourists, to provide fingerprints and a photograph upon entry and each time they leave or re-enter the Schengen zone. Vulnerable passengers have been prioritised through security to ensure their safety, but Zinell warned the situation remains precarious.
'It is very unpleasant for passengers, and even dangerous,' Zinell told the Financial Times. He noted that British visitors constitute the majority of non-EU tourists passing through his airports, which include Corfu, Rhodes, Mykonos and Crete.
Temporary fixes only
Greek authorities have indicated that police will not check UK passengers, though no blanket legal exemption exists. Border police currently have flexibility under EU rules to suspend checks at peak times, but that right expires in September. Zinell said this flexibility is the only thing preventing the system, rolled out last October, from collapsing.
'These are just temporary fixes, the system needs to be overhauled,' he said. 'It needs a new version, an update, and probably a reconfiguration in order to allow people to register before they fly, before they get on a plane, before they go to the airport.'
Industry warnings
The International Air Transport Association has called for the controls to be suspended until next summer due to fears of chaos in holiday hotspots. Iata reported passengers experiencing 'delays and missed connections' in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Belgium. Ryanair warned of 'queue chaos' at airports including popular destinations like Alicante, Málaga and Palma.
British cross-Channel ferry passengers could also face long delays unless French border police suspend the EES. The Home Office has pledged to push for a pause at Dover after warnings of 'utter chaos and miles of tailbacks' as peak holiday traffic begins from 17 July. The port of Dover reported that EES checks caused delays of four and a half hours during the May half-term holiday, and expects almost 50% more vehicles during the school summer holidays.
EU response
EU authorities have admitted the system is 'not perfect' but have rejected calls for a temporary suspension. Officials stated that of the 1,500 border crossing points, only 20 are 'difficult spots', and member states will be urged to implement measures to ease the strain.
