Wait times at European borders may worsen with the implementation of a new regulation in September. The EU borders have been facing significant delays since April due to the full deployment of the new Entry/Exit System (EES), impacting British travelers entering Europe.
Travelers are now required to register upon their initial entry into a Schengen country, which involves the capture of their photographs and fingerprints. This registration process has led to prolonged queues at border control in various European airports, resulting in some passengers enduring lengthy waits and others missing their flights.
Starting from September 6, a temporary flexibility provision that permitted EU member states to pause EES checks in exceptional circumstances is set to expire. Despite appeals from industry groups for an extension, the EU border security agency Frontex has confirmed that this flexibility will not be prolonged beyond September.
As a consequence, countries could face renewed long queues at airports once the flexibility allowance ends. At certain airports, machines need to be restarted when overwhelmed, causing further disruptions. Airlines like Air France-KLM have taken measures to ensure smooth transit during peak periods by temporarily halting the system at hubs like Paris and Amsterdam.
Problems with the new system have also surfaced, including challenges faced by elderly individuals during the fingerprinting process. Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, has voiced criticism regarding the EU regulations, emphasizing the importance for passengers to allow sufficient time to reach their boarding gates to avoid being left behind.
O’Leary reiterated that the airline’s priority is passengers present at the boarding gate during the boarding process, warning that the plane will depart without those who fail to board on time. Since April, numerous travelers on various airlines, including Ryanair, have missed their flights due to extensive delays at passport control.