The EU's Entry/Exit System, which requires non-EU travelers to register fingerprints and facial biometrics, began a gradual rollout in October and is due to be fully operational by April 10. It has already registered more than 45 million passengers, with registration valid for three years or until the passport expires. According to Ryanair, understaffed immigration kiosks and poor queue management have created mayhem at popular destinations including Tenerife, Malta, Krakow, Malaga, Alicante, Seville, and Faro.
The airline expects to fly 61 million Britons to Europe this year. Warnings of worsening chaos have emerged, with Ryanair stating the EES has already caused significant disruption and is set to worsen dramatically during the summer holidays. Michael O'Leary predicted chaos once British school holidays begin in June, warning that overstretched staff at smaller southern European airports could walk out or strike.
EES has just been a s*** show and a shambles. There's a bit of Brexit in this too. Here, you voted for Brexit — f***ing join the queue.
He urged EU states to use a five-month deferral option and delay full implementation until October, when winter schedules are quieter. The Airports Council International has reported a continued deterioration in waiting times, with some border points regularly hitting two hours and others far longer at peak periods. Official responses include UK ministers acknowledging last week that the changes would cause a significant impact over Easter and urging travelers to allow extra time.
Border security minister Alex Norris said the government was engaging with the European Commission to minimize disruption. The European Commission insists the biometric system is essential to combat identity fraud and enhance security, and it has already denied entry to more than 600 individuals flagged as potential security risks. It remains unclear what specific measures, if any, the European Commission is taking to address the reported understaffing and queue management issues at airports, or whether any EU states have agreed to use the deferral option.
Undoubtedly.
The exact number of British travelers who have experienced significant delays due to the EES is also unknown, beyond general reports of up to four-hour queues, as is how the UK government's engagement with the European Commission has progressed since last week's acknowledgment of the issue.
It's going to get really bad.
The obvious solution is to move the entire process online.