Airports Council International Europe, Airlines for Europe, and the International Air Transport Association have warned of persistent delays from the Schengen Entry/Exit System rollout. Current waiting times reach up to two hours at border controls for third-country nationals during the progressive phase. The groups sent a letter to EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner identifying understaffing, technology issues, and low uptake of the Frontex pre-registration app as key problems.
Without immediate flexibility, queues could extend to four hours or more during July and August peak traffic. The organisations urged confirmation that Schengen states can suspend EES partially or fully until October 2026 under the Schengen Border Control Code.
The groups revealed a disconnect between EU perceptions and actual passenger experiences, calling for operational realism to maintain the EU’s reputation as a welcoming destination.
Olivier Jankovec, Ourania Georgoutsakou and Thomas Reynaert shared “There is a complete disconnect between the perception of the EU institutions that EES is working well, and the reality, which is that non‑EU travellers are experiencing massive delays and inconvenience. This must come to an end immediately. We need to be realistic about what will happen during the peak summer months, when traffic at Europe’s airports doubles. The rollout of EES must be flexible to react to operational realities. This is an absolute prerequisite for its success – and for safeguarding the reputation of the EU as an efficient, welcoming and desirable destination.”
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