Key Takeaways: The EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) is live, requiring biometric registration for non-EU travelers. Initial implementation has led to border control queues averaging 2-3 hours, causing passenger distress and operational chaos. Airport authorities warn the situation could worsen with summer travel peaks.
Just as lines at US airports returned to normal, a new wave of travel delays is hitting Europe. The culprit is the European Union's newly implemented Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated border control system that went live across the Schengen Area last Friday.
The system requires non-EU citizens to register their details, including a photo and fingerprints, upon first entry—replacing the manual passport stamp. While designed to improve security and streamline the 90-day visa-free stay rule, its rollout has been anything but smooth.
Mounting Delays and Passenger Distress
Since its launch, social media has been flooded with reports of extensive waits, with some travelers even missing their flights. Data from airports in 15 countries confirms the scale of the problem.
Olivier Jankovec, Director General of Airports Council International Europe, stated that border control waiting times "have significantly increased." He warned that queues are now "typically averaging 2 to 3 hours or even longer during peak traffic periods."
"This is creating extremely difficult and distressing conditions for passengers, while also causing major operational disruptions for both airports and airlines," Jankovec said.
He expressed serious concern that the situation will deteriorate as summer travel demand surges, putting immense pressure on already strained airport infrastructure.
System Glitches and Inconsistent Implementation
On the ground, the issues appear twofold: increased processing time per passenger and technical glitches. Rob Burgess, editor of Headforpoints.com, noted that processing times have "gone up sharply," but airports have not responded by adding more staff or desks.
He also experienced a system failure firsthand. After registering his biometrics in Berlin two weeks prior, he was forced to repeat the entire process upon arrival in Hamburg because his data was unavailable.
Burgess, a UK citizen, highlighted a potential workaround for some travelers:
- If one person in a traveling party holds an EU passport, the entire group may be able to use the faster EU citizen line.
- This is based on the principle that separating families at the border could be considered a breach of EU citizens' rights.
Official Response and Global Travel Context
The European Commission has offered a more optimistic assessment. A spokesperson told Business Insider the system is working "very well" in most countries, with each registration taking just over a minute on average.
They acknowledged "technical issues" in a few nations but framed these as expected "teething problems" for any major new IT system. The Commission emphasized that individual member states are responsible for the system's implementation on the ground.
A Chaotic Start to 2026 for Travelers
The EES delays are the latest in a series of global travel disruptions in early 2026:
- US Airport Chaos: In March, a partial government shutdown led to 4-hour TSA security lines as unpaid agents skipped work.
- Caribbean Cancellations: US military strikes in Venezuela in January triggered the cancellation of nearly 1,000 flights to and from the Caribbean.
- Middle East Crisis: The Iran war led to tens of thousands of canceled flights, numerous diversions, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
- Rising Costs: The closure of key shipping channels doubled jet fuel prices, contributing to higher airfares worldwide.
For now, travelers heading to Europe are advised to build significant extra time into their plans for border control, as the EU works to iron out the kinks in its new digital frontier.