Europe's new biometric border system is turning passport control into a serious bottleneck, with peak queues at some of the continent's busiest airports doubling compared to last year. Data from the Financial Times and travel analytics firm Qsensor shows that the Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU travellers to register fingerprints and facial scans, has led to significantly longer waits and, in some cases, passengers missing flights.
Wait times soar at major hubs
At Frankfurt Airport, the average wait time reached 120 minutes in July, up from 60 minutes in the same month last year. Munich saw waits climb from 31 to 60 minutes, while Amsterdam's Schiphol recorded maximum waiting times of 120 minutes, up from 80 minutes in 2023. These figures highlight the strain the new system is placing on border control infrastructure that was already under pressure from rising passenger numbers.
The unpredictability of the delays has proven particularly challenging for travellers. While peak periods can mean queues of up to two hours, wait times are considerably shorter outside the busiest hours. This inconsistency makes it difficult for passengers to plan their airport arrivals, and for airlines to manage connections.
Since the system was fully launched on 10 April, every traveller from outside the EU has been required to scan their passport, undergo a facial scan, and register their fingerprints on their first entry. However, in practice, many passengers have had to provide fingerprints on multiple trips due to glitches in the system. EES kiosks have malfunctioned, and travellers have needed more assistance than initially anticipated, slowing the process further.
Industry backlash and temporary fixes
The chaos has drawn sharp criticism from across the travel industry. Ryanair's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, did not mince words, calling the system "misdesigned." In July, he said, "Only the Europeans would invent sh*t like this," after his airline witnessed large queues at some 15 airports across the continent.
Some airports have resorted to temporarily disabling parts of the EES checks—including skipping fingerprint collection during peak times—to ease the strain on passengers and staff. That policy is due to end in September, but eight EU member states and Switzerland have asked the European Commission to extend it. A Commission spokesperson said they are "considering the possibility of continuing the practice," adding that they are in "close and constructive contact with those few member states where there are challenges at certain border crossing points."
The Commission also stressed that the system is not causing problems everywhere. Registration takes an average of 70 seconds, and "in most cases" the impact on non-EU travellers has been limited. Still, the uneven performance has raised questions about the readiness of the EES, which is a key component of the EU's broader border management strategy.
The delays come at a time when European airports are already dealing with other disruptions, from volcanic activity in Sicily to security incidents in Germany. The added strain of the EES has intensified pressure on border agencies, and some are calling for a more phased rollout.
As the summer travel season winds down, the focus now shifts to whether the European Commission will grant the requested extension. For travellers, the hope is that the system will become more reliable, but for now, patience remains a necessary companion at Europe's busiest gateways.
