Overview
- The Entry/Exit System (EES), two months into rollout, is producing long lines and missed flights at some external EU borders as peak summer travel rises.
- EES requires all non-EU visitors to have facial images and fingerprints taken on arrival and to use departure kiosks so overstays can be tracked.
- Industry bodies and airport executives have warned queues could reach up to six hours in some locations and say current staffing and kiosk capacity cannot handle peak volumes.
- Limited fixes exist: the Travel to Europe pre‑registration app is live for Portugal and Sweden and self‑service eGates speed processing for biometric‑passport holders, but both are optional and do not guarantee exemption from checks.
- Decisions on suspending or easing rules rest with national and EU authorities, and airports say temporary relief or extra processing capacity may be needed to prevent further disruption this summer.