TV travel expert Simon Calder has warned that British holidaymakers heading to Europe this summer could face significant disruption as several popular destinations may follow Greece's lead in suspending the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES). The system, which replaced manual passport stamping for non-EU nationals including UK citizens, has been causing lengthy queues and delays since its implementation on April 10, 2026.
Greece's Bold Move Sparks Hope for Change
Greece recently decided to suspend the biometric checks for British tourists, a move that initially seemed unlikely to be permitted under EU rules. However, the lack of repercussions from EU authorities has encouraged other nations to consider similar action. Calder noted, "It's over two weeks since the Greek government said they wouldn't bother with all those biometric things for British holidaymakers. I thought they'd never get away with it, but they have. That will encourage other governments, perhaps Portugal, Italy, and Spain, to say, 'We're not going to bother either. Let's stagger through to the end of summer and take another look in the autumn.'"
Frontier Roulette for Travellers
Calder described the situation as "frontier roulette," where travellers cannot predict what border checks they will face. "You simply don't know what's going to happen. They might want four fingerprints from your right hand and a facial biometric, or they could just skim your passport details and call it quits. All you can do is hope for the best, be prepared for delays, and do what you're told."
Ryanair is among the transport companies calling for the EES to be suspended for the summer. Calder added, "There's no doubt that while some places are doing it well, many others are struggling. British holidaymakers will suffer the most. It wouldn't surprise me if Brussels soon announces a suspension and a rethink for the autumn."
Chaos Since Implementation
The EES has been operational for nearly a month, but reports indicate it has not gone smoothly. Travellers have missed flights due to long queues for fingerprinting and facial recognition. Calder commented, "We've seen people missing planes because the outbound cues for biometrics took too long. The best thing would be to suspend the whole thing and have another look when it's quieter."
In response to the delays, Ryanair recently announced that passengers using airport check-in or bag-drop services must complete the process 20 minutes earlier than before. The airline will close these services an hour before scheduled departure, up from 40 minutes, to allow more time for security and passport checks. This change aims to reduce the number of passengers who miss flights due to queues.
Calder concluded, "The key thing is that British holidaymakers face frontier roulette. The system is unravelling, with individual countries opting out. Europe will soon have to admit it's not working and relax things over the summer, but there are no guarantees."
