Easter Travel Disruption Expected Across Europe as New Biometric Border System Goes Live
Airports throughout Europe are issuing stark warnings about potential queues lasting up to two hours—or even longer—this Easter holiday period as the European Union's new Entry-Exit System (EES) comes into full effect. The biometric border control process, which has been gradually rolling out across the continent since October 2025, is now active in 29 countries, with implementation scheduled to be complete at all European airports by April 10.
New Requirements for Non-EU Travellers
Under the newly enforced regulations, all non-EU nationals, including British citizens, entering the Schengen Area must register biometric details such as fingerprints and photographs. This mandatory registration for third-country nationals commenced from today, raising significant concerns about operational disruptions during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Airports Council International (ACI) Europe has reported a continued deterioration in waiting times at border crossing points within airports. "Waiting times are now regularly reaching up to two hours at peak traffic times, with some airports reporting even longer queues," stated the organisation. They emphasised that with the requirement to register 100 percent of third-country nationals by March 31, followed by the end of the transition period on April 9, the situation risks deteriorating further.
Industry Calls for Flexibility and Immediate Action
Aviation trade bodies and airlines have voiced urgent concerns over the delays and potential chaos. In a joint statement, Olivier Jankovec, director-general of ACI Europe, and Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of Airlines for Europe, warned: "Passengers entering the Schengen area are likely to wait even longer at border control during Easter due to the persisting operational challenges around the EES rollout."
The groups have called on the European Commission and member states to extend the possibility to fully or partially suspend the EES system where operationally necessary throughout the entire 2026 summer season. They argue this flexibility has been vital in preventing catastrophic operational disruptions during the system's progressive rollout and should remain available during future peak travel periods if technical issues persist.
Existing Delays and Technical Issues
Data from ACI Europe reveals that the EES system has already increased waiting times at borders by up to 70 percent, leading to three-hour queues during peak travel periods. Aviation bodies have written to EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, demanding immediate action to prevent "excessive" delays.
In their joint statement, ACI Europe, IATA, and A4E highlighted: "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." They warned that without sufficient flexibility, severe disruptions over the peak summer months are a real prospect, with queues potentially reaching four hours or more.
Current Easter Travel Challenges
British holidaymakers are already facing travel chaos this Easter, with reports of four-hour airport waits. The Home Office and holiday companies have cautioned about two to four-hour queues at some destinations over the bank holiday weekend beginning April 3.
Long, slow-moving queues have been documented at popular Schengen area airports, accompanied by technical issues such as crashing gates, as witnessed in Gran Canaria last month. In some instances, passengers have missed flights due to processing times that are 70 percent longer than usual.
To mitigate these challenges, measures have been taken at certain airports. For example, Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport was reinforced in January with 24 soldiers from the National Republican Guard trained as border guards to help reduce waiting times, a measure approved by the Portuguese government.
As the Easter getaway intensifies, the aviation industry remains apprehensive about the full impact of the EES system, urging authorities to maintain operational safeguards to avoid widespread travel disruption across European airports.
