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Estimated Passenger Wait Times at EU Airports
Comparison of average wait times before and after EES implementation.
Primary Sources
Chaos in Europe as holidaymakers stung by 3-hour airport delays ...
European airlines have described "significant disruptions to air operations," with passengers missing their flights. 09:30, Mon, Apr 13, 2026 Updated: 09:34, Mon, Apr 13, 2026 European airlines have described 'significant disruptions to air operations' (Image: Getty)The long-delayed full implementation of the EU's new electronic border control system on Friday (April 10) has sparked travel chaos across Europe, with airlines reporting that passengers have missed flights due to prolonged security checks. The Entry/Exit System (EES) electronically records the passport and biometric data of third-country nationals, including Brits, travelling to the EU for short stays.However, as the UK Easter holidays continue, European airports and airlines have complained that the EES is causing holdups of between two and three hours during peak times and have called on the European Commission to introduce “greater flexibility” into its operation. “Border control authorities must be able to suspend the EES entirely when waiting times become excessive. This is essential not only in the coming weeks, but throughout the peak summer travel season,” said Oliver Jankovek, director of the Airports Council International Europe (ACI), in a statement.easyJet passengers were left 'vomiting and passing out' at Linate Airport in Milan (Image: Getty)"Europe’s reputation as an accessible and efficient tourist and business destination is at stake, especially given that air transport is already facing significant disruptions due to the current situation in the Middle East," Mr Jankovek added.Although the EU Commission maintains that, on average, checking in a traveller using this system takes around 70 seconds, European airlines have stated that there have been "significant disruptions to air operations, with passengers missing their flights due to prolonged border checks"."For example, a flight bound for the UK had 51 fewer passengers at the time of departure. Another flight had no passengers on board when the boarding gate closed, and 90 minutes later, 12 passengers had still not arrived at the gate," ACI explained in a statement issued jointly with European airlines.Meanwhile, easyJet passengers were reportedly left "vomiting and passing out" after being stranded in Italy. About 100 people were marooned in Linate Airport in Milan while waiting to board a flight to Manchester. Facing queues of up to three hours, passengers felt unwell from the heat and were unsure how to get home. The air...
Weeks after TSA chaos in the US, Europe is facing its own airport line ...
Weeks after TSA chaos in the US, Europe is facing its own airport line problem By Pete Syme You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email. A new system is causing long waits at immigration checkpoints across Europe. Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images 2026-04-16T15:25:18.403Z If you're flying to Europe this summer, get ready for a long wait in the airport. A new system is causing hourslong lines at immigration checkpoints across the continent. The issues are the latest in a long line of problems for air travelers in 2026. Airport lines in the US may be back to normal — but you could be in for an hourslong wait if you're flying to Europe. The European Union last Friday rolled out a new electronic border system at all crossing points in the Schengen Area — the common travel region comprising 29 countries across continental Europe.Instead of manually stamping passports, the Entry/Exit System (EES) requires travelers to register their details and biometric data, including a photo and fingerprints.Non-EU citizens without a visa can only stay in the Schengen Area for 90 days in a 180-day period, so entry and exit records need to be verified.The EU said the new automated IT system would improve security and speed up border checks. However, the system is facing significant teething problems. Since the system was implemented, travelers at airports across Europe have reported long waits, with some posting on social media that they have even missed flights due to lengthy lines.@easyJet our flight from Milan Linate took off without us due to Border Control being FAR too busy and the automated system not working. We are now stuck in Milan, missing work, spending money that we don’t have and have to transfer from Gatwick to Manchester! pic.twitter.com/XfPshK5GZK— Miss Benn (@Emily_Benn20) April 12, 2026 This week, a major airport group called for action to address growing lines across the continent.Olivier Jankovec, director general of Airports Council International Europe, said data from airports in 15 countries showed waiting times at border control "have significantly increased.""Queues are now typically averaging 2 to 3 hours or even longer during peak traffic periods," he added in the statement, shared with Business Insider on Thursday."This is creating extremely difficult and distressing conditions for passengers, while also causing major operational disruptions for both airports and airlines," he...
New EU entry-exit system causing up to three-hour delays, say airports
Travellers going through some European airports are reportedly waiting up to three hours at border checks because of the EU's new entry-exit system (EES).
Hours-Long Queues at French Airports as EU Entry/Exit System Hits ...
Barely three days after the European Union switched on its long-awaited biometric Entry/Exit System (EES), France's main international gateways spent the weekend battling four-hour immigration queues and repeated equipment failures. At Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) Terminal 2E, early-morning passengers described scenes of "organised chaos" as automated kiosks crashed, forcing Police aux ...
