The new EU entry/exit system (EES), which has caused lengthy queues at major airports, may not stabilise for up to two years, according to a senior EU official. Uku Särekanno, a director of the EU border agency Frontex, told the UK travel association Abta that some member states are struggling to implement the system, which requires non-EU travellers to provide fingerprints and facial images at the border.
“We expect that the situation will stabilise in one or two years,” Särekanno said. He noted that the initial enrolment process is the most challenging, but repeat visitors can use a faster track. The EES was introduced last October and fully rolled out on 10 April, with EU rules allowing temporary suspension of checks to avoid peak-time queues until September.
Concerns are mounting that the checks could cause travel chaos this summer, dampening consumer confidence. In May, French police suspended extra checks at the Port of Dover, and Greece plans to suspend biometric checks for British travellers until September. Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer warned that the system could damage demand for EU holidays, urging destinations to use contingency measures where queues are excessive.
Tanzer also cited the Middle East conflict and rising living costs as factors affecting early-season bookings. “There is evidence that apprehension generally, and the rising cost of living here, are dampening early-season booking levels,” he said. Consumers are booking later, creating uncertainty for travel operators.
Shaun Morton, chief executive of On the Beach, noted that price-sensitive consumers are booking later due to concerns about inflation and fuel costs. However, he expects the summer market to grow overall, with pent-up demand likely to boost next year’s bookings. Shares in On the Beach have fallen 30% this year after the group warned of later bookings.
