Wait times at European borders may escalate with the introduction of a new regulation in September. Border crossings within the EU have been plagued by lengthy queues since April following the full implementation of the new Entry/Exit System (EES), affecting all British travelers entering Europe.
Travelers are now required to register upon their initial entry into a Schengen country, involving the collection of their photographs and fingerprints. This registration process has led to significant delays at border control points across European airports, causing some passengers to endure lengthy waits and others to miss their flights.
Effective September 6, the temporary flexibility allowance in place across Europe is set to expire. Currently, EU member states have the authority to suspend EES checks in exceptional circumstances, such as when queues become unmanageably long.
Despite appeals from industry organizations for an extension, the EU border security agency Frontex has confirmed that the flexibility will not be prolonged beyond September. Consequently, countries could experience renewed long queues at airports once the flexibility period ends.
Some airports have faced challenges where machines need to be rebooted when overwhelmed. Air France-KLM mentioned that during peak summer months, the system is temporarily deactivated to ensure smooth operations at their hubs in Paris and Amsterdam.
Various hubs, like Brussels Airport, have encountered issues with the technology, with the system not fully operational in some cases. Additionally, concerns have arisen regarding the fingerprinting of elderly individuals under the new system.
Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, criticized the EU’s regulations in a recent podcast. He emphasized the importance for passengers to allow sufficient time to reach their boarding gate, stating that the airline prioritizes passengers present at the gate during boarding.
Numerous travelers, including those on Ryanair, have missed their flights since April due to extensive delays at passport control, underscoring the challenges faced by passengers during this period.
