Why are European passport queues expected to spike?
What’s driving longer passport-control waits in Europe
Airports and airlines across Europe are warning of major delays at border control this summer tied to the rollout of the EU’s new Entry-Exit System (EES). Authorities introduced EES to digitize and record non‑EU travellers’ arrivals and departures, but carriers and airport operators say the implementation has been chaotic and could sharply increase processing times at passport desks.
Industry groups are urging the European Union to pause or slow the full implementation because they believe current staffing, equipment, and technology arrangements are not ready for the surge in automated checks. Local airports have reported that processing a single traveller through the new checks can take longer than before, and officials fear those extra minutes will multiply into multi‑hour queues during peak periods.
What travellers should know
- Expect longer waits at major international gateways, especially during summer peak travel days.
- Allow extra time for connections and transfers when flying into or through European airports.
- Monitor communications from your airline and the airport for real‑time queue and gate updates.
Operational uncertainties remain. It’s still unclear whether the EU will grant a temporary suspension or phased rollout in response to industry pressure, and individual airports will vary widely in how smoothly they integrate EES tools and staff training. For now, the safest planning step is to build buffer time into itineraries: plan earlier arrival at airports, avoid tight same‑day connections when possible, and consider direct or single‑carrier routings that reduce the number of border crossings. Travel insurance that covers missed connections can offer another layer of protection if long passport lines create knock‑on delays.