Airlines warn of four-hour summer delays at European borders

Airports and airlines warned the European Commission that the rollout of the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) is already causing significant delays at border control, with waiting times reaching up to two hours, and could extend to four hours or more during the summer peak.

In a letter to EU commissioner for internal affairs and migration Magnus Brunner, industry bodies ACI EUROPE, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the current phase of the system, requiring the registration of 35 per cent of third-country nationals entering Schengen, is creating operational pressure at airports.

They pointed to three main causes. Border control services remain chronically understaffed. Technology issues persist, particularly with border automation systems.

At the same time, the Frontex pre-registration application has seen very limited adoption by Schengen states.

As a result, they warned that if mandatory registration expands to all crossings during July and August, queues could reach four hours or more, raising the risk of severe disruption across European airports.

The organisations also asked the Commission to confirm that member states will retain the option to partially or fully suspend the EES until the end of October 2026.

Under the progressive rollout foreseen in Regulation 2025/1534, suspension mechanisms may no longer be available beyond early July, while it remains unclear whether sufficient flexibility exists under the Schengen Borders Code to relax checks when necessary.

“There is a complete disconnect between the perception of the EU institutions that EES is working well, and the reality, which is that non-EU travelers are experiencing massive delays and inconvenience,” said Olivier Jankovec, Ourania Georgoutsakou and Thomas Reynaert.

“This must come to an end immediately,” they added, warning that airport traffic doubles during peak summer months.

“We need to be realistic about what will happen during the peak summer months, when traffic at Europe’s airports doubles,” they continued. “The rollout of EES must be flexible to react to operational realities.”

“This is an absolute prerequisite for its success, and for safeguarding the reputation of the EU as an efficient, welcoming, and desirable destination,” they concluded.