Why are there holiday delay warnings over the EU's new border system?
The EU's much-delayed Entry/Exit System will change the way UK passengers travel to 29 countries.
Warnings of potential holiday delays are being issued due to the European Union's new digital border control system, which applies to non-EU citizens entering and exiting the Schengen Area. This summer marks the first peak travel period since the implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES), which necessitates UK travelers to register fingerprints and a photo, in addition to a passport scan.
The EES, which began its rollout in October of last year and is now fully operational, replaces manual passport stamping. Its purpose is to track individuals entering and leaving the Schengen free movement zone, encompassing 29 European countries. "Third country" nationals, including UK citizens, are required to provide fingerprints and a photo at passport control. For British travelers flying to popular destinations such as France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, this process will occur at automated kiosks upon arrival. The information is then verified upon departure. Certain passengers, including children under 12, will have their passports checked by border staff instead.
The time required for biometric information registration has led to advice for travelers to anticipate waits at border controls. During its initial phase, queues emerged at some airports during busy periods. While the system has since performed well at certain airports, others have reported delays of several hours. A representative from the airline trade body IATA has cautioned that queues in some locations could extend to six hours. Travel experts and industry figures attribute these issues to technological problems and insufficient border staffing. There have also been instances of individuals needing to register their biometric information multiple times.
The UK head of Wizz Air has advised passengers to prepare for delays and arrive three hours before their return flight. Some passengers have missed their flights home because EES check waits prevented them from reaching their gates on time. Airline policies regarding holding flights for delayed passengers vary; some carriers state they will wait when possible, while others, like Ryanair, have indicated they will not.
The summer holidays will serve as a significant test for the new system. Greece initially stated it would not apply biometric checks to British visitors during the peak period but later appeared to reverse this decision. The European Commission permits the suspension of the system in "exceptional circumstances that lead to excessive waiting times" until September. Improvements are planned for locations experiencing the longest queues; for example, Portugal has announced the deployment of hundreds of additional border staff for July. Airports recommend that passengers adhere to their airline's advice regarding arrival times for flights back to the UK.
Eurostar has already installed 49 EES processing machines at London St Pancras. At a few specific locations, French border police conduct passport checks before individuals depart the UK. These include Dover's ferry port, Eurotunnel's Folkestone terminal, and Eurostar's St Pancras rail terminus. For several months, dozens of automated machines have been in place at these locations for EES processing, though they are not yet in routine use, with border staff currently handling part of the process. At Dover, even without the collection of fingerprints and photos, long queues of cars formed at the start of the May half-term holidays, leading French border authorities to suspend the process. Coaches will be sealed after passengers complete EES checks, before proceeding to the ferry terminal.
Eurotunnel has installed over a hundred EES kiosks on both sides of the English Channel. A mobile phone app has been developed to allow passengers to complete part of the process before reaching the border. However, this app is currently only utilized by two countries: Sweden uses it for passport data and photo registration, while Portugal employs it solely for an entry questionnaire.
The EU is also introducing a new visa waiver system linked to passports, known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will build upon the EES. Citizens of non-EU countries who do not require a visa to enter the EU, including those from the UK, will be able to apply online for authorization prior to travel. There is no confirmed start date for ETIAS yet. It will cost €20 (£17.47) per application and will be valid for three years. Individuals under 18 and over 70 will need to apply but will be exempt from the fee.