Zurich Airport Ski Holiday Hub Plunged into Chaos by New EES Passport System
Zurich Airport, a major gateway for winter ski holidays to Swiss and European resorts, has been hit by scenes of chaos and significant delays as the new Entry/Exit System (EES) passport gates are rolled out. Travellers are facing long queues, with some missing flights entirely, prompting urgent warnings to arrive early and avoid airport amenities like cafes and duty-free shops.
Passenger Accounts Describe Bizarre and Lengthy Border Checks
One passenger travelling through the hub provided a detailed account to The Daily Mail, revealing the extent of the disruption. "We turned up for our London flight two and a half hours before departure yesterday late afternoon," they said. "We had already checked in so needed bag drop only. Security was relatively swift but very, very busy."
After reaching the airside area with over an hour before boarding, the passenger decided to have a coffee and browse duty-free. However, a family member flying to Manchester on an earlier flight texted to warn of huge queues at passport control for All Passports, not just Swiss or EU lines. "They had to run to the gate, despite having checked in in good time," the passenger recounted.
Immediately leaving the cafe, the passenger joined the queue heading to gates in Terminal E. "People were furious. The process was so lengthy. I've never had every page of my passport scrutinised before," they said, noting they had previously used the EES system in Switzerland and were already on record.
The questioning at border control was described as "utterly bizarre." One member of their party was quizzed about a Cambodian visa from a gap year two years prior, while another was asked why the EES photo on record, taken in December during a trip to Spain, was of poor quality. "The suggestion was that it was her fault the machine at the Spanish airport had not captured a good shot!" the passenger exclaimed.
Missed Flights and Last-Minute Dashes Through the Terminal
Anecdotally, the passenger heard that numerous people had missed flights on Sunday. Upon finally clearing passport control, they witnessed people "running madly through the terminal to get to their gate." Endless last-call announcements for missing passengers echoed through the hub.
The holidaymaker issued a stark warning: "I think at very least they should tell you at check-in or bag drop to go to passport control as soon as possible. My advice is don't shop or have a coffee if you want to make your flight. Lots of Brits will be heading to the Alps for half term and they should know Swiss ’efficiency’ does not extend to airports when it comes to passport control."
Official Data and Airport Response Confirm Disruption
According to FlightQueue, security and immigration at Zurich Airport are currently labelled 'very busy,' with waits lasting more than 45 minutes. A 'heads up' on the website reads: 'High flight volume. Expect busier terminals.'
The hub also experienced one of the most disruptive days of the winter season last month, with VisaHQ reporting 244 delays and two cancellations as a result. Zurich Airport acknowledged longer waiting times at passport control, stating, "At this stage, we cannot say with certainty whether this resulted in passengers missing their flights. As you can imagine, it is very difficult to determine the exact reason for a missed flight in such a situation. For example, we do not have information on when a passenger arrived at the airport or where they were before or after passing passport control."
Background on the EES System and Its Rollout
This disruption comes after holidaymakers were warned to allow extra time at airports as new border controls cause significant delays for air passengers. The European Entry/Exit System, commonly called the EES, is an automated digital border system for non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen Area. This area encompasses most of the EU, plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.
The new system was first launched in October 2025, but airports and ports initially had until April 2026 to fully implement the technology as a mandatory requirement. However, the EU has postponed the full rollout of the EES to September 2026, granting Schengen nations 'more flexibility' during the busy summer season across Europe. Despite this extension, the early implementation at hubs like Zurich is already causing major travel headaches during the peak ski season.
