EU Entry/Exit System rollout prompts warnings over travel disruption risk
The rollout of the EU’s Entry/Exit System is raising concerns as early delays at key borders signal potential disruption during peak holiday travel
Companies are monitoring early disruption linked to the European Union’s (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES), as the new digital border process begins to take effect ahead of the busy summer travel season.
The Port of Dover has warned holidaymakers to prepare for delays during the May half-term getaway, marking the first major holiday period for the UK since the EU’s biometric border system entered its final implementation phase in April.
While full fingerprint and facial recognition checks are not yet active at all crossing points, travellers are already experiencing longer processing times as border authorities create digital traveller profiles.
For the travel risk and assistance sector, the disruption extends beyond passenger inconvenience.
The full rollout is becoming an operational resilience issue, particularly as insurers and assistance providers brace for increased volumes of delay-related claims, missed departures, welfare support requests, and medical incidents linked to prolonged waits.
At Dover, around 18,000 vehicles are expected between Friday and Sunday, with contingency traffic systems prepared in case congestion escalates.
Eurotunnel terminals and Eurostar hubs are also operating interim EES procedures, with some travellers reporting extended queues at European entry points.
The EES, designed to modernise and strengthen Schengen border security, replaces manual passport stamping for non-EU travellers with a digital registration process.
However, inconsistent implementation across member states has created operational uncertainty for transport operators and travel stakeholders alike.
The disruption is particularly relevant for assistance providers managing vulnerable travellers, including elderly passengers, families, and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
Extended waiting times at ports, stations, and airports can increase dehydration risks, medication access issues, heat-related illness, and traveller anxiety – especially during peak summer temperatures.
Travel assistance firms may also face higher call volumes linked to missed onward connections, delayed accommodation arrivals, and requests for emergency travel rearrangements.
The situation highlights a broader shift in travel risk management, with border processing increasingly becoming part of operational duty-of-care planning rather than simply an immigration issue.
Airlines and operators have already voiced concerns. EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis told the BBC that some recent queue situations linked to EES processing were “unacceptable”, while encouraging authorities to retain flexibility around manual passport procedures where necessary.
Although authorities can temporarily suspend EES procedures if delays become severe, the full implementation is expected to continue throughout 2026 as Europe moves towards a more digitally integrated border management system.