Carriers and airports in Europe urge for immediate changes to the EU’s Entry/Exit System or EES amid significant border delays.
Notably, the biometric border system has caused queues over two hours at a number of European airports. In fact, some passengers have even had to wait for up to two hours.
On October 22, Airlines for America (A4A) supported a six-point proposal by Airlines for Europe (A4E) and ACI Europe.
Overall, these groups urge for enhanced border security but caution that the EES continues straining airport operations and passenger mobility.
“Passenger experience must remain a central consideration alongside the goals of secure and effective border management,” read the groups’ joint statement. ”
“Close collaboration among European institutions, national authorities, border agencies, airports, airlines and technology providers will be essential to ensure that EES delivers its intended benefits without the operational challenges or capacity constraints currently being experienced.”
At the same time, Brussels Airport announced its expansion of border control infrastructure in response to consistent congestion. According to reports, travelers typically waited for 95 minutes at the airport.
Correspondingly, this move sparks concern about the region’s capacity to manage increasing passenger volumes under its digital border system.
Airlines Demand Six Reforms to Fix EES Delays
A4E and ACI EUROPE introduced their six-point plan on October 12, calling for immediate operational and regulatory changes.
The organizations identified several problems, including insufficient border staff, unstable technology, and limited access to automated border controls.
Moreover, existing biometric procedures often require additional processing, creating bottlenecks during busy travel periods.
The proposed reforms focus on eliminating duplicate identity checks and preventing the creation of multiple EES profiles.
They also recommend improving biometric verification and upgrading the Travel to Europe app and web portal.
Additionally, the organizations want wider access to automated border gates for eligible non-EU travelers.
Their final proposal would permanently allow authorities to temporarily suspend biometric registration when queues become excessive.
Essential security checks would continue during these suspensions.
In their October 12 statement, ACI EUROPE and A4E leaders warned that the problems require structural solutions.
“This is no longer a teething problem, nor can passengers, airports and airlines keep paying the price for avoidable disruption,” remarked Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General.
A4A subsequently endorsed the proposals, extending industry support beyond European carriers.
Brussels Airport Expands Border Controls as Waiting Times Rise
Brussels Airport announced another infrastructure expansion on October 23 after EES delays continued affecting arriving passengers.
The airport will install eight additional manual border control positions in December 2026.
Consequently, its arrival processing capacity will increase by 66%.
Furthermore, six additional electronic gates are scheduled for delivery in early 2027, increasing e-gate capacity by 50%.
These investments follow earlier upgrades that failed to offset longer processing times.
According to Brussels Airport, morning processing times for arriving visa-required passengers are now two to three times longer.
The airport also reported rising waiting times in September after a temporary improvement in August.
Previously, Brussels Airport installed 60 EES pre-registration kiosks to accelerate border procedures.
However, technical problems involving government suppliers have prevented the kiosks from becoming operational.
The airport also highlighted restrictions preventing certain non-European travelers from using automated gates.
Therefore, airport officials want improved registration technology alongside additional infrastructure and staffing.
EES Exposes Wider Airport Operational Challenges
Beyond biometric technology, EES delays have revealed broader weaknesses in airport planning and coordination.
In an October 26 Airport World report, Kasper Hounsgaard, president and co-founder of Copenhagen Optimization, discussed these challenges.
He explained that border processing changes affect staffing, passenger movement, airline schedules, and connecting flights.
Furthermore, airports often rely on separate forecasts and operational plans, limiting their ability to respond quickly.
Hounsgaard recommended combining historical, scheduled, and live operational data to anticipate congestion.
Airports could then adjust staffing, open additional checkpoints, and coordinate responses before queues become unmanageable.
As a result, better planning could complement the technical reforms demanded by aviation organizations.
Ukraine Faces Additional Border Challenges
EES implementation is also affecting land crossings along Ukraine’s western borders.
According to an October 24 Kyiv Post report, Ukrainian authorities are adapting border procedures while managing ongoing security threats.
Russian attacks on border infrastructure and disruptions to operational systems have complicated movement near neighboring European countries.
Meanwhile, EES biometric registration introduces additional processing requirements for eligible travelers entering the Schengen area.
Ukrainian border officials reported handling approximately 35 million to 37 million individual crossings annually.
Authorities are therefore coordinating with European partners to maintain border security and minimize congestion.
However, the disruption linked to Russian attacks remains separate from the administrative challenges introduced by EES.
EES Adds Complexity to Visa-Free European Travel
The EES also highlights growing administrative requirements for international travelers.
Unlike a visa, EES records eligible visitors’ entry and exit information at external Schengen borders.
The system collects passport details, facial images, and fingerprints from covered non-EU nationals traveling for short stays.
First-time registration generally requires additional processing. Subsequent crossings involve biometric verification against existing records.
Meanwhile, Europe’s planned European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will introduce separate pre-travel requirements for visa-exempt visitors.
A recent Visamundi report suggests travelers increasingly face administrative requirements even when their destinations do not require visas.
According to the company’s 2027 Travel Trends Report, seven in ten applications it handled in 2026 involved visa-exempt travelers.
Those travelers still needed additional documentation, authorization, or other entry formalities.
Furthermore, Visamundi found that 8% of passports it reviewed had less than six months of remaining validity.
The findings reflect Visamundi’s customer data rather than all international travelers.
What EES Delays Mean for Travelers
Travelers entering the Schengen area should prepare for potentially longer border checks, particularly during busy airport periods.
First-time EES registration may take longer because border officials must collect biometric information.
However, processing times vary by airport, staffing levels, and passenger volumes.
Travelers should therefore check official airport guidance and allow sufficient time for immigration procedures and onward connections.
Additionally, eligible visitors should confirm passport validity and understand the difference between EES registration and travel authorization requirements.
European authorities and aviation organizations now face growing pressure to improve the system before future peak travel periods.
Ultimately, the success of EES will depend on whether Europe can combine stronger border security with efficient passenger processing.
Photo by Leon Jacobs on Unsplash
