EES delays to continue amid reports of 6-hour airport queues

The EU’s new Entry and Exit System (EES) was first introduced in October last year, before the rollout ramped up on April 10.

The new system requires British travellers, and other non-EU visitors, to provide biometric data, including fingerprints and facial scans, when entering the Schengen Area.

The new EES has received significant backlash since its introduction, with it causing long waits for passengers at airports.

Major airlines, including Jet2 and Ryanair, have called for the rollout of the new system to be suspended until after the summer to allow for a “smoother airport experience” during peak travel season.

CEO of Ryanair’s Malta subsidiary, Malta Air, David O’Brien, even threatened to pull all flights to Malta due to the extended wait times caused by the EES at airports.

Brits have previously been warned of six-hour waits at airports in Portugal caused by the new EES.

A fresh warning of more six-hour waits has now been issued for several major European airports.

Brits warned of 6-hour airport queues – see the holiday hotpots affected

Airline industry leaders have warned that the new EES checks could dramatically increase processing times at passport control.

Vice-president for Europe at IATA, Rafael Schvartzman, said the system increases passenger processing times from around 20-25 seconds to as much as 90 seconds per traveller, creating a “hard risk” of lengthy queues and missed flights, The Times reported.

Mr Schvartzman told IATA’s annual meeting that places were implementing the system differently, some did not have the required technology or infrastructure, and kiosks were understaffed.

He added: “What we are seeing is a very hard risk of really challenging times or waiting times, talking about expectations of three, four, five, six hours, which is unacceptable.

“We know for a fact there are many cases where people have lost flights or their connectivity.”

The worst-affected holiday hotspots are:

• Lisbon
• Lanzarote
• Alicante
• Mallorca (Majorca)

How long are EES delays at airports expected to continue?

Deputy executive director of EU border agency Frontex, Uku Sarekanno, said some member states are “struggling” to adopt the EES, and it could take up to two years for things to “stabilise”.

Addressing a summit of travel industry leaders organised by Abta in Westminster, Mr Sarekanno said: “We expect that the situation will stabilise in one or two years.

“The most challenging part is the first enrolment, that is the moment where fingerprints and facial images will be taken.

“If a person is visiting the EU again (within three years), they don’t have to go through the same process, so they can have a more fast track of entry.”

He continued: “Member states are still adjusting to the new reality.

“There are ones which are managing it rather well, who have dedicated resources.

“There are the others who are still struggling.

“This adjustment… is taking some time and effort.”

Chief executive of industry body Airlines UK, added: “If the EU’s own expectation is that queues will last up to two years, that’s not a teething problem – that’s a serious policy failure.

“Member states must make use of the flexibilities available to them, right now, to protect airline passengers this summer and beyond.”

EU rules currently allow the checks to be temporarily halted to avoid queues at peak periods but that is not always happening.

EES is not the only travel change Brits need to worry about in 2026

Britons have also been warned to prepare for the introduction of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), expected to launch later in 2026.

Under the scheme, visa-exempt travellers, including UK passport holders, will need permission to enter 30 European countries for short stays.

Applications will cost €20, although under-18s and over-70s will be exempt from the fee.

Have you used the new EU’s new entry/exit system yet? Let us know about your experience in the poll above or in the comments below.