European Union Struggles With Entry-Exit System Delays
Non-EU travelers face extended wait times as biometric border checks cause significant airport congestion.
Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Europe
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The European Union is experiencing significant border control delays as it continues the rollout of its new Entry-Exit System. Travelers have reported wait times stretching up to five hours at major hubs due to mandatory facial and fingerprint scanning requirements.
Why it matters
The EES was designed to replace manual passport stamping with a digitized biometric process, but the technical burden of these checks has disrupted travel flow. The resulting congestion has forced some countries to intermittently suspend full implementation to manage passenger volumes.
Brussels Airport reported peak delays of 5 hours between September 21 and September 27, while average wait times reached 95 minutes at Brussels, 68 minutes at Porto, and 63 minutes at Berlin. The system currently encompasses 29 countries.
The players
European Union
This political and economic union of 27 member states acts as the governing body responsible for implementing the new biometric border control framework.
IATA
The International Air Transport Association is the trade association for the world's airlines that has advocated for temporary flexibility in system rollout.
Ryanair
This major European low-cost airline has officially called for the full rollout of the EES to be delayed until April 2027 to avoid further disruption.
The details
The system requires non-EU citizens to undergo facial and fingerprint registration upon entry, a process that must be repeated if biometric data fails to load correctly. While nine countries have received permission to waive full implementation, major airports continue to struggle with bottlenecks that have previously caused mass missed flights.
Timeline
October 2025 marked the start of the phased biometric check rollout.
April 2026 saw over 100 passengers miss a flight at Milan Linate due to three-hour queues.
September 6, 2026, was the date Spain began full implementation of the system.
September 21-27, 2026, saw five-hour border control delays at Brussels Airport.
The end of 2026 is the potential expiration for temporary EES flexibility mechanisms.
Travel Outlook
The implementation of the European Union's Entry-Exit System marks a departure from traditional manual stamping toward a digitized biometric verification standard. This shift toward automated border control is currently being stress-tested against historical travel patterns and peak airport volume demands.
Travelers should anticipate potential delays at European border control points and arrive at airports significantly earlier than usual. Those traveling to countries currently enforcing full checks may experience longer wait times until the temporary flexibility mechanisms expire at the end of the year.
The takeaway
The transition to automated biometric border checks is causing significant logistical friction across European airports as officials struggle to balance security with passenger throughput. Travelers are advised to monitor local airport notices closely until the system stabilizes after its temporary flexibility period.
Further reading
For more background on regional transit developments, visit the Europe section.
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