European airlines and airports are urging the European Union to temporarily halt its new biometric border control system during the busy summer travel season, citing significant delays and lengthy queues. Industry representatives have raised concerns that some passengers are enduring wait times of up to five hours at border checkpoints, which has resulted in flights departing with empty seats as travelers remain stuck in lines. To accommodate these delays, some airlines have been forced to postpone flight departures while passengers complete the necessary checks.
Implemented gradually since October, the biometric system requires non-EU visitors to provide fingerprints and facial images upon entering the EU. However, as the system is rolled out, airports and border authorities are encountering operational difficulties. In response, airline and airport bodies have appealed to the European Commission, asking for the flexibility to suspend the biometric checks in July and August when passenger volumes surpass the capacity of border controls.
Problems with the system’s implementation have already been reported in several countries, with some locations having to reduce or temporarily halt biometric checks to mitigate significant disruptions during this high-traffic travel period. The continued delays, they warn, could harm Europe’s tourism industry and tarnish its international travel standing, especially with airports anticipating millions more passengers over the summer months.
To prevent further disruptions, industry groups emphasize the need for increased staffing, enhanced technology, and dependable automated systems to ensure the biometric checks can function effectively without causing major issues. Without these improvements, they argue that the new system cannot operate seamlessly, and the risk of continued travel delays persists.