Ryanair has issued a strong plea to European Union governments to suspend the rollout of the European Entry/Exit System (EES), warning that passengers are facing lengthy delays and even missing flights due to inadequate infrastructure and staffing at major airports.
What is the EES?
The EES is a digital border control system that replaces traditional passport stamps for travellers entering the Schengen zone. It requires biometric registration, including fingerprints and a photograph, upon arrival. The system applies to British tourists visiting popular destinations such as France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. There is no advance registration required, and the system is free to use.
Ongoing Issues Since Launch
The EES officially went live on April 10, 2026, after a gradual rollout starting in October 2025. However, technical glitches and insufficient kiosks have led to its temporary suspension in several countries during peak periods. Ryanair took to social media to criticize the system, calling it 'half-baked' and demanding a suspension until September.
In a statement, the budget airline accused France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Germany of failing 'to ensure that adequate staffing, system readiness, or kiosks are in place' despite having over three years to prepare. As a result, passengers have endured long passport control queues, and some have missed their flights entirely.
Ryanair's Demand
Ryanair's statement read: 'Despite knowing for over three years that EES would become fully operational from 10 April 2026, France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Germany have failed to ensure that adequate staffing, system readiness, or kiosks are in place. As a result, passengers are suffering long passport control queues and, in some cases, missing their flights. Ryanair calls on these EU Governments to suspend the rollout of the EU's passport control Entry/Exit System (EES) until September to ensure that passengers are not needlessly forced to suffer long passport control queue delays at European airports during the peak summer season.'
Broader Impact
The EES applies to 25 of the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Frustrated holidaymakers have reported a range of issues, including an insufficient number of kiosks, malfunctioning fingerprint scanners, and being forced to repeat the entire process on both arrival and departure. Ryanair's call for a suspension comes as the summer travel season approaches, raising concerns about further disruptions for millions of passengers.
