For many travellers heading to Europe this summer, the holiday has begun with something less idyllic than cobbled streets and café terraces: hours spent waiting at passport control. Long queues, missed flights, delayed departures and mounting frustration have become familiar scenes at several airports across the Schengen Area as the European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) faces its biggest test yet during the peak holiday season.
Now, in response to growing pressure from airports, airlines and the aviation industry, the European Commission has confirmed that national border authorities can temporarily suspend the collection of biometric data at border crossings experiencing exceptionally heavy traffic. The move is intended to ease congestion without compromising border security, offering countries greater flexibility as passenger numbers surge through July and August.
Managing Summer Rush
The temporary measure applies only to the collection of fingerprints and facial images that first-time non-EU travellers must provide under the EES. Border checks themselves will continue, meaning passengers will still undergo immigration controls even if biometric enrolment is briefly paused.
The Commission has stressed that the flexibility is built into the system and can be activated by national authorities whenever waiting times become unmanageable. Rather than suspending the Entry/Exit System altogether, officials say the provision allows airports to keep passenger flows moving while maintaining essential security checks.
The announcement comes after weeks of mounting concern across Europe's aviation sector. Airlines and airport operators have argued that while the digital border system promises long-term benefits, many airports are struggling to process travellers quickly enough during the busiest period of the year. Several industry bodies—including Airports Council International (ACI Europe), Airlines for Europe (A4E) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA)—have urged the European Commission to allow even greater flexibility during the summer, warning that infrastructure and staffing levels are not yet equipped to handle large passenger volumes alongside mandatory biometric registration.
Their concerns have been echoed across several major European airports, where passengers have reported waiting anywhere from one to five hours at passport control before being able to continue their journeys.
Queues Keep Growing
The Entry/Exit System was introduced to replace traditional passport stamping for non-EU nationals travelling into the Schengen Area. Instead of a manual stamp, the system digitally records a traveller's entry and exit while capturing biometric information, including fingerprints and a facial image, during the first registration. Authorities say the new system will improve border security, reduce identity fraud and make it easier to identify visa overstays and irregular travel patterns.
In practice, however, the rollout has been far from seamless. Several airports have reported bottlenecks linked to technical issues, staffing shortages, limited space at border checkpoints and the additional time required to register first-time travellers. Although European Commission officials maintain that many of these challenges existed before the EES was introduced, the new process has added another layer to already stretched airport operations during the busiest travel months.
The impact has been visible across popular holiday gateways including airports in Spain, Italy, Germany and France. Some passengers have missed flights after becoming stuck in immigration queues, while airlines have reported departures being delayed as travellers remained stranded at passport control. In certain instances, aircraft have reportedly departed with empty seats because passengers could not reach the boarding gate in time.
Airlines have also warned that families travelling during the school holidays may face the greatest disruption, especially at airports handling large numbers of British and other non-EU visitors who must complete biometric registration.
Industry Seeks Flexibility
Europe's aviation industry has argued that the current summer surge has exposed the operational challenges of introducing a major border management system during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Airport operators say they are preparing to handle around 40 million more passengers in July and August compared to the preceding months, stretching existing facilities even further.
The European Commission has acknowledged the operational pressures and says it has been working closely with member states and the aviation industry to improve implementation. Technical meetings have already been held ahead of the summer season, while the EU's border agency, Frontex, is prepared to deploy additional personnel to some of the busiest airports. Officials are also supporting the rollout of a pre-registration application designed to reduce processing times for travellers before they reach border control.
Despite the disruption, the Commission continues to defend the Entry/Exit System as a major upgrade to Europe's external borders. Officials say biometric verification has already helped identify more than 1,000 individuals considered security risks and remains central to the EU's plans for stronger, digital border management.
For travellers, however, the immediate reality is less about future efficiencies and more about navigating crowded terminals. Anyone travelling to the Schengen Area this summer is still being advised to arrive at the airport well ahead of departure, particularly if it is their first trip under the new Entry/Exit System, when biometric registration is most likely to be required. The latest flexibility may ease pressure at the busiest airports, but with peak holiday travel only gathering pace, Europe's new border system remains very much a work in progress.
FAQs
Q1. What is the EU Entry/Exit System (EES)?
The EES is a digital border management system that replaces passport stamping for non-EU travellers entering the Schengen Area with electronic records and biometric verification.
Q2. Why are airports experiencing long queues?
First-time biometric registration, combined with staffing shortages, infrastructure limitations and technical issues, has increased processing times at several airports.
Q3. What has the EU changed to reduce delays?
National border authorities can now temporarily suspend biometric registration during periods of exceptionally high passenger pressure, while continuing standard border checks.
Q4. Who is affected by the new biometric checks?
The system applies to non-EU nationals visiting participating Schengen countries for short stays, including travellers from the UK, US, Australia and many visa-free countries.
Q5. What should travellers do before flying to Europe this summer?
Arrive at the airport earlier than usual, keep travel documents ready and allow extra time for immigration, especially if it is your first trip under the EES.
