EU’s new digital border system triggers long airport queues, missed flights across Europe

The rollout of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) has led to long queues, missed flights and growing frustration at airports across Europe, with the aviation industry warning that passengers are facing waits of up to five hours during peak travel periods.

The digital border control system requires non-EU travellers entering the Schengen Area for the first time to register their fingerprints and facial scans, replacing the traditional passport stamping process.

Airports and airlines say the new checks are struggling to handle heavy summer travel demand, leading to significant delays at border control counters.

Industry groups have urged EU authorities to introduce temporary flexibility by allowing conventional passport checks where necessary until the system can cope more efficiently with rising passenger volumes.

The EES is designed to strengthen border security and modernise immigration checks by digitally recording the entry and exit of non-EU nationals. However, its initial implementation has exposed operational challenges as millions of travellers pass through Europe’s busiest airports during the holiday season.