The new EU border system, which has already caused hours-long delays at major airports, may not 'stabilise' for up to two years, according to a senior official. Uku Särekanno, a director of the EU border agency Frontex, told a travel industry event that some member states are 'struggling' to implement the Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU passengers to provide personal information and biometrics at the border.
The EES was first introduced last October and fully rolled out on 10 April. While EU rules allow the checks to be suspended during peak periods to avoid queues, this flexibility is expected to end in September. There are fears that the system could contribute to a summer of travel chaos, with consumers nervous about bookings and delays.
Mark Tanzer, chief executive of the UK travel association Abta, warned that problems with the EES could hurt demand among British holidaymakers. 'The rollout of the EU entry/exit system is creating an unhelpful, and potentially damaging, backdrop for summer travel to EU destinations,' he said. He urged destinations to use contingency flexibility to suspend biometric registration where queues are unacceptably long.
In May, French police temporarily suspended extra checks at the Port of Dover, and Greece has suspended biometric checks for British travellers until September. Särekanno noted that while some member states are managing the system well, others are still struggling with the adjustment.
Separately, holiday bookings for early summer have been hit by uncertainty around the conflict in the Middle East and the rising cost of living. Shaun Morton, chief executive of holiday operator On the Beach, said consumers are booking later, creating uncertainty. However, he still expects the summer travel market to grow overall this year.
