Three-hour queues and missed flights as EU border system falters

Key facts

• EES came into effect on 10 April 2025 in 25 EU states plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
• Dave Giles, 47, missed his flight from Copenhagen on 12 April after queuing for hours, incurring over £2,000 in costs.
• Georgia, five months pregnant, waited four hours at Pisa airport on 10 April with no seating or staff assistance.
• David Newton and his family were stuck for 11 hours at Charles de Gaulle airport on 16 March, missing their easyJet flight to Birmingham.
• Over 100 flights were missed at Milan-Malpensa due to EES queues, prompting airlines to seek a temporary suspension of biometric checks.
• Italy is considering an 'off-switch' for the new system amid widespread disruption.

Passengers stranded as biometric checks cause gridlock

The European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES), designed to bolster border security, has instead triggered chaos at airports across the continent, with travellers reporting waits of up to three hours and some missing their flights entirely. The system, which requires fingerprint scans and facial recognition for non-EU nationals, was gradually introduced from October 2025 and took full effect on 10 April across the Schengen area, encompassing 25 of the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. At Milan-Malpensa airport, queues linked to EES caused more than 100 passengers to miss their flights, according to reports. Airlines have since called for a temporary suspension of the biometric checks, while Italian authorities weigh the possibility of an 'off-switch' for the new system. Travellers are now advised to add at least an hour to normal check-in times.

Technical failures and lack of staff compound delays

Many travellers described problems with fingerprint scanners not accepting their prints, forcing them to repeat the registration process multiple times. kiosks were non-functional, with little seating and few staff available to assist. At Copenhagen airport on 12 April, Dave Giles, an IT manager from Raunds, Northamptonshire, found himself in a queue of 80 to 100 people with only three kiosks operating. Before long, one of those closed. A supervisor was seen making calls to request that the gate be held open, but by the time Giles reached the front, the gate had closed seconds earlier. He missed his flight home from a music festival with his family, forcing him to buy new tickets for the following day, find accommodation, pay extra parking at Stansted, and hire a car to drive from Heathrow to Stansted. The total cost exceeded £2,000. Insurance refused to cover the loss, and the airline said it was not at fault.

Pregnant woman and families endure hours without assistance

Georgia, a five-month-pregnant woman from London, faced a four-hour delay upon arrival at Pisa airport on 10 April. There were no staff in sight to advise on waiting times, and no special assistance or seating available. People in the back of the queue became overheated in a windowless corridor. Georgia sat on the floor and told those around her she was pregnant to get space, as she was nearly fainting. Water was only handed out at the very front of the queue, after about four hours. She cancelled a planned trip to Paris with her husband, saying she could not face the ordeal again. A trip to Greece was still on her calendar, but she noted with relief that Greece had reportedly stopped following the new system. David Newton, from Stourbridge, West Midlands, arrived three hours before his return flight from Disneyland Paris with his wife and four-year-old daughter on 16 March. They ended up stranded for 11 hours at Charles de Gaulle airport, forced to go through EES checks twice in one day after missing their easyJet flight to Birmingham.

Widespread disruption despite some smooth journeys

Hundreds of people responded to a callout sharing their experiences of travelling to Europe since the rules came into effect. problem-free journeys, many described severe delays that caused them to miss flights. Travellers with children faced additional delays, and many said there was little guidance on using the kiosks. Some had to repeat the registration process on each leg of their journey without explanation from staff, or with no staff available to ask. The disruption has left many passengers out of pocket and anxious about future travel. Giles said he did not expect to recover his money, having emailed the airport but receiving no reply. Georgia, now apprehensive about travelling in Europe, cancelled a weekend trip to Paris. The Newton family's ordeal at Charles de Gaulle lasted 11 hours, highlighting the system's vulnerability during peak travel periods.

Airlines push for suspension as Italy considers options

The scale of the disruption at Milan-Malpensa, where over 100 flights were missed, has prompted airlines to seek a temporary suspension of the biometric checks. Italian authorities are reportedly considering an 'off-switch' for the new system, which would allow border staff to bypass the digital checks and revert to manual passport stamping. Such a move would mark a significant setback for the EU's flagship border security project. The EES is intended to replace manual passport stamping with an electronic system that records entry and exit dates, as well as biometric data, for non-EU nationals. However, the rollout has been plagued by technical glitches and inadequate infrastructure, leading to long queues and frustrated passengers. The EU has not yet commented on the delays or any potential adjustments to the system.

Outlook: travellers face uncertainty as system struggles

For now, travellers to Europe are advised to allow extra time at airports, as the EES continues to cause disruptions. The situation remains fluid, with Italy potentially leading a retreat from the biometric checks if the 'off-switch' is activated. Other countries may follow suit if the delays persist. The experience of passengers like Dave Giles, Georgia, and the Newton family underscores the human cost of a system that was meant to streamline border controls but has instead created chaos. With no clear timeline for fixes, and airlines and airports struggling to cope, the EES appears to be a work in progress that is far from ready for prime time. The coming weeks will test whether the EU can address the teething problems or whether the system will face a broader backlash from travellers and the travel industry.

The bottom line

• The EU's Entry/Exit System, effective from 10 April 2025, has caused severe delays at airports across Europe, with some passengers waiting up to three hours.
• Technical failures, including non-working kiosks and fingerprint scanners, have compounded the lack of staff and seating, leading to missed flights and significant financial losses.
• Over 100 flights were missed at Milan-Malpensa alone, prompting airlines to call for a temporary suspension of biometric checks.
• Italy is considering an 'off-switch' for the system, which would allow a return to manual passport stamping.
• Travellers are advised to add at least an hour to normal check-in times while the situation remains unresolved.
• The disruption has caused some passengers to cancel future trips to Europe, highlighting the system's impact on travel confidence.