The digital system for checking non-EU travellers’ documents is creating bottlenecks and glitches just as the peak of the holiday season approaches. EU officials have admitted there are “20 difficult spots” with queue chaos. These are airports across Spain, France, Portugal and Italy facing the worst entry/exit system (EES) disruption. Staff shortages and occasional equipment failures at these entry points have made delays worse.
Airport operators warn that longer queues, crowded terminals and missed connections are becoming more common as passenger numbers continue to rise. It’s hard to tell how bad it really is, because waits vary dramatically by time of day, day of week, airport, and at times, how the fickle new technology is working and what staffing levels are at the moment. So, a big problem is the sheer unpredictability for your summer travel across Europe.
Disclaimer: This helpful post contains some affiliate links. If you click on any of the links in this post (AND make a purchase) I may receive a small commission at absolutely no cost to you. As such I thank you in advance should you decide to click & buy.
Page Contents
What is EES?
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is replacing the traditional passport stamping process for travellers arriving from countries outside the Schengen Area. Under the EES, non-EU passengers have to register fingerprints and facial images the first time they enter the Schengen zone. And then have their biometrics verified every time they leave and re-enter.
The system applies to non-EU/Schengen citizens travelling to Schengen or EU countries for short stays. People coming from certain countries, such as the US, UK, Australia, or Latin American states, are not required to get a visa, but they are still subject to the EES system.
The system was introduced to strengthen border security, improve the monitoring of short-term stays and help authorities detect individuals who overstay their visas or attempt to enter the Schengen Area illegally. It is now in place at all the external borders of all 29 countries in the free-travel area, meaning all EU countries except Cyprus and Ireland, plus Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Norway.
Why is the digital border system causing delays?
The biggest challenge is the additional time required for first-time registration. Before reaching passport control, eligible travellers must complete a biometric registration, usually at dedicated self-service kiosks located inside the airport. While the process is straightforward, it takes considerably longer than the previous passport stamping procedure, especially when large numbers of passengers arrive simultaneously.
The EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026. EES is in force at land, sea, and air borders, but its implementation is creating hiccups and bottlenecks mostly at airports, with long queues and complicated procedures.
Some repeat visitors are being told to register again, even though this is the exact opposite purpose of EES. In many cases, repeat visitors who have successfully registered still have to wait in line for kiosks with all the first timers, saving almost nothing. And in many cases the machines just don’t work.
Are the delays everywhere?
Airports and Airlines are experiencing operational disruption, with flight delays and missed connections, both in Europe’s largest hubs and in smaller airports serving major tourism destinations.
Airport organisations across Europe say that the infrastructure needed to support the new system has not yet been implemented uniformly. Some airport terminals do not have enough operational capacity, including border guards, appropriate infrastructure, and automated border control machines.
The consequence is several half-empty planes at gate closing time, while passengers are still stuck in border control queues. Wait times at border control have increased significantly, sometimes reaching 4-5 hours during peak traffic periods and impacting thousands of passengers.
The worst delays from the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) are primarily happening at Spain’s major holiday airports, along with specific hubs in Italy, France, and Poland. As per Ryanair, the airports most affected are Tenerife South, Palma, Alicante and Málaga in Spain, Milan Bergamo in Italy, Krakow in Poland, and Paris Beauvais in France. As per other UK airlines, Lisbon, Porto, Rome and Naples are also affected. IATA said passengers were experiencing delays and missed connections in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and Belgium.
Why can the EES not be suspended temporarily?
Industry leaders and major airlines like Ryanair have formally requested that the EU temporarily suspend the EES during peak summer travel to avoid completely unmanageable bottlenecks.
EU officials said that out of the 1,500 border crossing points, only 20 were “difficult spots” and it would put pressure on those member states responsible to put measures in place to ease the pressure. The EU says the system is already bearing the results it was designed to achieve. It has captured 110 million journeys in and out of the Schengen area, and about 44,500 people have been refused entry.
Despite heavy criticism by airlines and airports, the officials say it is impossible to have the new system open in some countries and not in others as it would lead to the ‘unfortunate situation of travellers stranded at border crossings’.
For example, if a passenger from Britain entered the Schengen area at a border where the new controls were operational but left via a border where they were not, a difficult situation would arise. In this instance, the travellers would be at risk of being registered as overstaying their 90-day travel allowance in any 180-day period and refused entry on a future trip.
What can the travellers do?
You can of course NOT go to Europe this summer! For others going to Europe or going via Europe, there are a few things to take note of. In any case, make sure you keep an extra margin with connecting flights / other forms of transport (to clear immigration when you land in Europe).
Arrive early – but not too early
Building in plenty of time to check in and complete the EES registration steps will help you to avoid missing your flight. Holidaymakers should arrive at European airports three hours before their flight home departs.
Sign up to alerts
Airlines and travel providers will send out messages to let passengers know of current waiting times and any changes. It’s important you are signed up to receive them to ensure you arrive in plenty of time to get your flight but not so early that you contribute to unnecessary queues.
Most airlines have an app you can download in advance to receive alerts. It’s also worth checking you’re signed up to get texts and that emails don’t go into your junk folder. Stay aware of scams though, as fraudsters may try to exploit the situation.
Read your paperwork
If you miss your flight due to EES queues, airlines are under no obligation to put you on another flight without an extra charge. Travel insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of new flights, hotels or any other losses incurred as a result of delays caused by EES queues.
Summary: Tackling Europe’s new border system
While the new system is expected to become faster as travellers complete their initial registration and airports gain more experience operating it, longer waiting times are likely to remain a feature of the 2026 summer travel season. This coupled with the intense heatwave across Europe simply means travellers need to buckle up.
What are your summer holiday travel plans for 2026? Share with us in the comments below.
Join me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook as I share my travel experiences.