British EU entry-exit checks cause delays?

British travellers face EU border queues this summer

British travellers are being warned to prepare for very long airport queues in Europe, with forecasts reaching up to six hours. The disruption is tied to the EU’s rollout of the Entry Exit System (EES), which adds automated entry/exit processing at borders.

The practical impact for travelers is straightforward: even if flights are on time, the time needed to clear border controls may be significantly higher than in past travel seasons. That matters most for:

• Tight connecting itineraries (when arriving at one airport and then needing to catch another transport)
• Same-day onward travel (intercity trains, rental-car pickups)
• Late departures, when delays can compress time for document checks and baggage processes

While EES is designed to improve border management, the rollout period is creating uncertainty about how smoothly it will run at peak travel times—particularly at busier airports during high summer.

What to do now: build more buffer into your schedule, plan to arrive earlier than usual, and avoid stacking itineraries that leave you little margin between landing time and the next step in your trip. If your plan depends on a same-day connection, consider rebooking to the next feasible option if border processing runs behind.

For anyone planning summer travel to the EU from the UK, the key takeaway is that border processing—not just airline operations—may be the main bottleneck.