European biometric travel ID system sees delays across the region

The European Union’s (EU) new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) became fully operational on Friday 10 April. This system replaces physical passport stamping for non-EU visitors with biometric registration (fingerprints and photo) at 29 Schengen Area borders. A phased rollout began on 12 October 2025, leading to full implementation by the April deadline.

However, some airports have had trouble rolling out sufficient numbers of kiosks that gather traveller data, which has led to queues lasting several hours and leaving travellers stuck in airports as their aircraft depart without them.

According to the BBC, more than 100 people missed their easyJet flight to Manchester from Milan’s Linate airport on 11 April while stuck in what the airline described as “unacceptable” passport control queues. An airline spokesperson said the flight to the UK had been held to allow customers extra time, and it had provided “free flight transfers to those affected”, but for many passengers, those flight options were several days later and were therefore not useful or acceptable to their timescales. These passengers then had to pay for replacement flights.

EasyJet apologised but said the problems were “outside of our control”. The airline added: “We continue to urge border authorities to ensure they make full and effective use of the permitted flexibilities for as long as needed while EES is implemented, to avoid these unacceptable border delays for our customers.”

The “permitted flexibilities” refer to the fact that European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said that member states can partially suspend EES checks for up to 90 days after the rollout is complete, with a possible 60-day extension. 

Airport organisations call for flexibility

Airports Council International (ACI) Europe and Airlines for Europe (A4E) say initial reports have shown passenger waiting times of two to three hours at border control during peak times. Both organisations have called for greater flexibility in the capacity of the system ahead of the peak summer months, with the possibility of the system being ‘turned off’ in favour of normal checks by human border control personnel instead, or in addition to, the biometric option.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe, and Ourania Georgoutsakou, Managing Director of A4E, said: “While we will continue to closely monitor developments in the coming days, it is already evident that greater flexibility is immediately needed. Border control authorities must be allowed to fully suspend the EES when waiting times become excessive. This is essential not only in the coming weeks, but throughout the peak summer travel season.”