Rome's airports may suspend the EU's new biometric entry-exit system (EES) for non-EU citizens to prevent travel chaos during the peak summer season, according to Marco Troncone, chief executive of Aeroporti di Roma. Troncone warned that the system is incompatible with high passenger volumes, rating his concern as 'eight or nine' on a scale of ten.
The EES, which requires non-EU travellers including Britons to provide fingerprints and facial images on first entry, was fully rolled out in mid-April after delays. Faulty technology has already caused long queues and missed flights, with French police temporarily suspending checks at the port of Dover in May.
Troncone stated that 'the only way is to open up the valve,' as airports cannot deliver 100% enrolment during peak periods. However, Stefan Schulte, president of European airports trade body ACI Europe, said that only individual EU governments, not airports, can decide to suspend the system. He urged politicians to stop pretending EES is working fine.
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) warned that queueing times could reach six hours at some airports this summer, with waits of up to three-and-a-half hours already recorded. Uku Särekanno, deputy executive director of EU border agency Frontex, said the situation may not stabilise for two years.
