Ryanair has called on the Portuguese government to suspend the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) until after the peak summer season, warning that passengers are facing excessive border control queues at Portuguese airports. The budget airline, a vocal critic of the digitised system, issued the statement on Instagram, saying: "Portuguese Government needs to suspend new Entry/Exit System (EES) until after the peak summer season. Otherwise, passengers are forced to endure excessive border control queue times at Portuguese airports."
The EES, which replaces traditional passport stamps for British citizens travelling to the Schengen area, has been repeatedly paused at busy times in Portugal to allow passengers to board flights amid reports of long delays. There have been unconfirmed suggestions that Portugal and Italy might follow Greece, which reportedly paused the procedure for British tourists over the summer. Neither country has confirmed this.
The system, given a soft launch in October last year, is due to become fully operational on April 10, 2026. It requires most non-EU visitors, including Britons, to register biometric data each time they enter or leave the Schengen free travel zone. The UK government has warned that EES may take extra time, advising passengers to prepare for longer waits at borders.
Ryanair has previously slammed the system as "half-baked," accusing France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Germany of failing to ensure adequate staffing, system readiness, or kiosks despite knowing about the system for over three years. The airline has called on these governments to suspend the rollout until September to prevent passengers from missing flights due to long passport control queues.
