The new EU border system, which has already caused hours-long delays at major airports, may not 'stabilise' for up to two years, a senior official has warned. Uku Särekanno, a director of the EU border agency Frontex, told a travel industry event that some member states are 'struggling' to implement the Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU passengers to register personal information and biometrics at the border.
The EES was fully rolled out on 10 April, after a phased introduction last October. The system involves fingerprinting and facial imaging for first-time visitors, with subsequent entries being faster. However, the initial enrolment is causing significant queues, particularly at peak times. EU rules allow temporary suspension of checks to avoid disruption, but this flexibility is expected to end in September.
Concerns are growing that the checks could lead to a summer of travel chaos, dampening demand among British holidaymakers. Mark Tanzer, chief executive of the UK travel association Abta, said the system is creating an 'unhelpful and potentially damaging backdrop' for summer travel to EU destinations. He urged destinations to use contingency measures to suspend biometric registration where queues are unacceptably long.
In May, French police temporarily suspended extra checks at the Port of Dover, and Greece has announced it will suspend biometric checks for British travellers until September. Despite these measures, Särekanno noted that some countries are managing well while others are still adjusting. He expects the situation to stabilise within one to two years.
Separately, holiday bookings for early summer have been affected by uncertainty around the Middle East conflict and the rising cost of living. Consumers are booking later, with shorter lead times creating uncertainty for operators. Shaun Morton, chief executive of On the Beach, said a 'price-sensitive and uncertain consumer' is also concerned about potential fuel shortages and surcharges. However, he still expects the summer travel market to grow overall this year.
