If you have travelled to Europe recently, or you are planning a trip soon, you may have noticed longer queues at passport control. This is not bad luck or a one‑off airport issue. It is the result of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which is now being rolled out across the Schengen Area.
The aim of the system is simple: tighter border checks for non‑EU travellers. The reality, at least in the early stages, has been longer waits, missed connections and confusion at some of Europe’s busiest airports.
Here is what is happening, why queues are getting worse, and what travellers actually need to know.
What is the EU Entry/Exit System?
The Entry/Exit System replaces passport stamping for non‑EU visitors entering the Schengen Area. Instead of a stamp, border authorities now record:
- passport details
- biometric data such as fingerprints and facial scans
- the date and place of entry and exit
This applies to visitors from the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and other non‑EU countries travelling to most of mainland Europe.
The goal is to improve security and enforce the 90‑in‑180‑day rule more accurately. Once fully operational, the system should make repeat entries faster. The issue is that first‑time registrations take time, and airports are still adjusting.
Why are airport queues so long?
The problem is not the technology itself, but how it fits into existing airports.
Many major European airports were never designed for biometric registration at scale. As a result:
- queues move slowly while fingerprints and facial scans are captured
- technical glitches can bring entire passport lanes to a stop
- peak arrival times quickly overwhelm border staff
At busy hubs, even a few minutes extra per passenger can turn into hours of waiting once several flights land close together.
Airports handling large volumes of long‑haul traffic, especially inbound flights from the UK and North America, have been hit hardest.
Which airports are most affected?
While disruption can happen anywhere, travellers have reported particular problems at:
- Paris Charles de Gaulle
- Amsterdam Schiphol
- Frankfurt Airport
- Madrid Barajas
- Barcelona El Prat
- Rome Fiumicino
If you are travelling through these airports, especially at peak times, longer queues should be expected.
If your trip involves a short onward connection, it is worth checking your transfer time carefully or choosing routes that avoid tight connections altogether.
You can explore alternative entry points via nearby cities using Timms Travel’s locations pages, where many smaller airports now offer a smoother arrival experience.
Will this improve over time?
Yes, but not overnight.
Once travellers are registered in the system, future entries should be quicker. Additional border staff and improved layouts will also help. However, summer travel peaks are likely to remain challenging, particularly in southern Europe and major capital cities.
The system will also operate alongside the upcoming ETIAS travel authorisation, adding another step for non‑EU visitors to navigate.
What travellers can do to reduce disruption
You cannot bypass EES, but you can limit the impact:
- allow more time at arrival airports
- avoid the busiest arrival windows where possible
- choose direct flights rather than tight connections
- consider arriving via less congested airports
If your trip starts or ends in a major city, browsing alternative routes via the Timms Travel flights section can help you spot more forgiving options.