Elderly British travellers are experiencing significantly longer queues at airports because their faded fingerprints are not being recognised by the new Entry/Exit System (EES) machines.
Since the EES was introduced this year, British passport holders and travellers from other non-Schengen countries must provide a facial scan and fingerprints when arriving in most EU countries. The system is now operational at most European airports, with more set to go live in September.
Faded fingerprints cause extra waits
While many passengers have reported lengthy delays, older fliers have been particularly affected. A number of British passengers with faded fingerprints have been turned away by the machines and required to join a separate queue, according to the Telegraph. These additional waits can take several hours.
Angela Evans, 80, told the publication about her experience travelling to Palma de Mallorca, where the EES machines failed to recognise her fingerprints. “I tried several times, on different machines and with assistance from a member of staff, but to no avail. My fingerprints would not register,” she said. “I suspect this is because of my age – 80 – and that my fingers are probably worn smooth and not ‘ridgy’ enough to record.”
She then had to join a “very long queue” to have her passport manually stamped. She says she is “not hopeful” that she will be able to register her fingerprints in the future.
Passengers face long waits and frustration
Another passenger, Ian Gardner, experienced a long wait with his wife at Naples Airport. He queued for 20 minutes to register his biometrics before having to join a line stretching out of the terminal when his fingerprints would not scan. “Tempers were fraying and people were jumping out of the queue to protest with staff, who had minimal jurisdiction over the situation. We had already gone past the last time for our transfer to pick up,” he told the publication.
The European Commission states in article 17 of the EES regulation that “persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible shall be exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints.” If the physical issue is temporary, the passenger may be asked to give fingerprints at exit or a subsequent entry.
Possible relief and extension calls
As concerns have grown over lengthy EES queues, the EU has eased some restrictions. Member states, including France, Portugal and Spain, were given the option to temporarily “lift biometric registration” until the end of summer to ensure there is “some relief for the worst-case scenario”. According to Frontex, the offer of eased measures for the digital border system is set to expire on Sunday, 6 September, potentially leading to longer airport queues and travel disruptions.
However, there have been calls to extend the full rollout of the EES beyond 6 September, for fear it could spark further airport chaos, even though it comes after the summer holidays. According to The Times, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, has privately reassured that the EES checks could still be paused after the current 6 September deadline, when needed. It has also been reported that similar assurances have been made to the UK, indicating that an extension of the flexibility could be possible, following a meeting with British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.
