Airlines Demand EU Border System Pause

Airlines and airports want urgent EU action on the Entry/Exit System, warning summer queues could deteriorate at Schengen border checkpoints.

Airlines and airports have urged immediate action over the EU Entry/Exit System after warning that border queues could worsen during the peak summer travel period. The call, reported on 2026-07-02, centres on a request for EES to be suspended during the busiest summer periods if processing pressures become too severe. For travellers, the issue is not a new visa requirement, but the practical impact of biometric border processing at external Schengen entry and exit points. That means passengers may need to plan for longer queues, slower arrivals, and more fragile onward connections.

What the EES Warning Means

The Entry/Exit System is designed to digitally record the arrival and departure of non-EU and non-Schengen travellers when they cross participating European borders. Instead of relying only on manual passport stamps, the system records travel details and can involve biometric checks such as facial images and fingerprints. Airlines and airports are concerned that, during heavy summer flows, these extra processing steps could create bottlenecks at passport control. Their request for intervention is aimed at preventing border queues from spilling into airport operations and causing wider disruption.

Who Should Be Most Alert

UK passport holders are among the traveller groups most likely to notice the change when entering the Schengen area, because they are treated as non-EU visitors for border purposes. The same practical concerns apply to many travellers from outside the EU and Schengen zone, including tourists, business visitors, students on short stays, and passengers transiting into Europe before onward travel. Families travelling in the school-holiday period should be particularly cautious because group processing can take longer, especially when children are involved. Anyone with mobility needs, medical requirements, or a very tight schedule should plan as if the border process may take longer than usual.

Where Delays Could Hit Hardest

The biggest risk is at busy external Schengen border points, particularly major airports where many long-haul and short-haul arrivals land close together. Hubs used for onward connections could be especially vulnerable because a delay at passport control may leave passengers with less time to reach a domestic or intra-European departure gate. The issue may also matter at ferry ports, international rail terminals, coach crossings, and cruise terminals where border checks are carried out before or after travel. Even if flights operate on time, queues after landing can still affect car hire bookings, hotel check-ins, rail transfers, and connecting travel.