The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is causing significant delays at airports across the bloc, with travelers facing queues of up to 7 hours in some cases. The biometric border system, designed to strengthen security and track travel, has been plagued by technical issues, staffing shortages, and kiosk unavailability. Airports in France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain are among the hardest hit, with some suspending EES operations temporarily to ease congestion.
The European Commission has acknowledged the challenges and allowed member states to partially suspend EES during peak summer travel periods. However, airport operators warn that more needs to be done to address the systemic issues and prevent further disruptions. Travelers are advised to plan for longer waits at passport control and consider traveling off-peak to minimize delays.
