Summer travel disruption fears are mounting as the European Commission faces calls to intervene in the new entry-exit system (EES) at European borders. The travel industry is concerned about the potential for long queues and chaotic experiences for passengers, especially during the busy summer season. European airports are warning of a potentially "disastrous" situation for travelers, with some already experiencing long queues despite provisions for border officers to relax the requirements. The EES requires most British holidaymakers to Europe to be fingerprinted, photographed, and registered, and UK firms have reported significant variations in how the rules have been applied since the scheme's soft launch in October. The staggered start has led to long queues at some European airports, and border authorities are allowed to reduce the number or extent of checks to avoid significant disruption. Many border crossings had the EES infrastructure ready well before the launch, including in the UK at Eurotunnel in Folkestone and Eurostar's London St Pancras International station. However, most visitors to the 29 countries introducing EES will likely register their details at border control on arrival at airports, and the system has been causing delays of up to three hours, with airports in Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy among the worst affected. The Airports Council International (ACI) has reported that the chronic understaffing of border control guards is an issue, and the rollout of EES has made it worse. Olivier Jankovec, the director general of ACI Europe, warns that queues of up to two hours are not sustainable and could get worse during the busy summer months, when traffic is double. The UK travel association Abta has urged the EU to ensure all member states and border authorities are using contingency measures to avoid long delays at passport control. Abta's chief executive, Mark Tanzer, has written to the EU commissioner for migration, Magnus Brunner, asking him to keep the system under review and push for additional border guards during peak times. Tanzer highlights the frustration that border authorities have the power to ease queues but are not consistently doing so. The European Commission has hinted at a possible six-week extension to cover the summer, but airports have not received formal notification of this. The EES has also faced technical issues, with many self-service kiosks not working reliably, and no state except Sweden allowing the use of an app to pre-register details. Olivier Jankovec emphasizes the need for a coordinated European approach to address these issues and ensure a smooth travel experience for all.
