Warnings of disruption following EES rollout

Airports and airlines are warning of disruption following the full rollout of the EU’s new Entry Exit System, with reports of long queues and missed flights in the first days since implementation.

The warning comes from ACI Europe, Airports Council International Europe, which represents airport operators across the continent, and Airlines for Europe, which represents major carriers.

In a statement, it says passengers have faced queues of up to two to three hours at border control during peak periods, despite attempts to ease pressure through partial suspension measures.

ACI Europe says that in some cases, flights were delayed or left with empty seats after passengers were still queuing when boarding closed.

Reports in the Spanish regional press have also highlighted long queues affecting airports including Málaga, Seville and the Balearics

The organisations are now calling for greater flexibility in how the system is applied.

They warn the biometric checks could continue to cause disruption without changes.