The European Union’s Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES), which became operational in October 2025, replaced manual passport stamping with biometric checks including fingerprints and facial recognition for non-EU nationals at external borders. The biometric border regime is undergoing a six-month phased rollout across the EU.
EU legislation allows member states to gradually scale up EES biometric checks but prohibits full suspension of the system. Authorities are permitted only limited flexibility, such as targeted reductions of biometric enrolment or reverting to manual passport checks during disruptions.
Operational Impact at Key Airports
Since spring 2026, the system’s rollout has caused operational challenges at major airports. Long queues with
waiting times up to three hours have been reported at airports in Italy, Spain, and Portugal during peak periods. Airports Council International Europe stated that border processing times rose by as much as 70 percent at peak times.
Italian airports including Milan, Rome Fiumicino, and Ciampino, as well as Spanish and Portuguese gateways, faced delays with missed flights reported. Airline groups such as Airlines for Europe have described the waiting times as persistently excessive.
Industry and Airport Responses
Airports Council International Europe and Airlines for Europe have urged EU authorities to allow for broader temporary suspensions of biometric capture during congestion. Paris airport operator
Groupe ADP cautioned against intensifying biometric checks ahead of the summer season, labeling it extremely risky and recommending a slower rollout pace.
Executives from Rome’s Fiumicino and Ciampino airports warned that avoiding a summer travel crisis may necessitate bypassing EES for many passengers during peak weeks. Italian and Portuguese airports have publicly considered temporary suspensions of biometric capture for select flights or times.
Flexible Enforcement Amid Fragmented Implementation
While full suspension remains prohibited, some EU border authorities have eased enforcement by prioritizing specific flows, reducing biometric enrolment during surges, or falling back to manual passport inspection. Greek border forces reportedly stopped biometric checks on British
citizens at some airports despite claims of full EES operation.
This patchwork approach leads to inconsistent passenger experiences, with some travellers fully processed biometrically and others passing through manual controls. Airlines have advised passengers at affected hubs to arrive up to three and a half hours before short-haul flights to accommodate longer border processing.
Official Position and Traveler Impact
EU authorities emphasize that EES is central to modernizing external border control, managing migration, enforcing short-stay rules, and improving security within the Schengen Area. The system enables real-time information sharing on entries and exits among member states.
Civil liberties groups have raised concerns about biometric data
retention and law enforcement access, but most current pressure arises from operational bottlenecks rather than legal issues. Airlines and airport groups warn that delays risk damaging Europe’s appeal and increasing operational costs, potentially driving up fares if disruption continues.
