Airport Travel Warning: How to Avoid Massive Delays at European Borders

Airport Travel Warning: How to Avoid Massive Delays at European Borders

June 12, 2026 discoverhiddenusacom World

Travelers Face Multi-Year Airport Delays Due to New EU Biometric Controls

Travelers heading to Europe should prepare for extended wait times and potential flight disruptions as the implementation of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) creates significant bottlenecks at major airports. According to reports from Euronews and The Guardian, the transition to digital biometric border checks is causing systemic congestion that experts warn could persist for up to two years as the system stabilizes.

From Instagram — related to European Union, Exit System

Why are European airports experiencing record-breaking queues?

The core issue stems from the mandatory first-time biometric registration process for non-EU citizens. According to Uku Särekanno, deputy executive director of the EU border agency Frontex, capturing fingerprints and facial images for every traveler entering the Schengen area for the first time is the most labor-intensive phase of the new system. While the EES is designed to replace manual passport stamping with digital records, the lack of uniform staffing levels across different nations has exacerbated the problem. ACI Europe, representing regional airports, notes that chronic understaffing was already a pre-existing issue before the digital rollout, leaving airports ill-equipped for the added administrative burden.

Pro Tip: Don’t rely on standard check-in times this summer. If you have a connecting flight, add at least two to three hours of buffer time to your itinerary to account for potential passport control delays.

How long will the airport congestion last?

Travelers should expect these conditions to continue for the next 12 to 24 months. During a recent industry event in London, Uku Särekanno of Frontex stated that the situation is expected to stabilize within one to two years once the initial wave of biometric registrations is complete. In the interim, countries like Portugal have taken active measures, such as hiring 300 additional police officers to manage passenger flow. However, industry leaders like ABTA CEO Mark Tanzer have labeled this two-year adjustment period as “very painful” for the travel sector.

Will the EES system affect every traveler?

The EES specifically impacts citizens of countries outside the EU and the Schengen area. While European citizens are generally exempt from these biometric checks, the system creates a “ripple effect” of congestion. According to travel experts, when non-EU queues spill over into general terminal areas, it blocks access to security and boarding gates for all passengers, regardless of their nationality. Julia Lo Bue-Said of the Advantage Partnership advises travelers to “plan for the worst,” particularly during peak travel windows in July and August when airport traffic doubles.

Huge delays as new EU fingerprint border checks come into force

What can travelers do to avoid missing flights?

  • Book longer layovers: Avoid “tight” connections where you have less than two hours between arriving and departing flights.
  • Check airline apps: Use the official app for your airline or airport to receive real-time notifications about security wait times.
  • Travel off-peak: Whenever possible, fly on weekdays rather than weekends to avoid the highest volume of passengers at border control.
  • Monitor official alerts: Keep an eye on local government travel advisories for the specific countries you are visiting, as implementation strategies vary by nation.
Did you know? The EES system is designed to track exactly how long non-EU travelers remain in the Schengen area by storing data on where and when they cross the border, effectively ending the era of manual ink stamps in passports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Norwegians have to register biometrics under EES?
No. The system applies to travelers from countries outside the EU and the Schengen area, though the resulting physical congestion at airports affects all travelers.

What can travelers do to avoid missing flights?

Can airports pause the EES system during busy periods?
No. According to Frontex, there are currently no provisions or plans to allow national authorities to suspend the EES procedures to alleviate peak-season congestion.

Why are some airports worse than others?
Implementation is uneven. Some countries have invested in extra staff and digital kiosks to streamline the process, while others continue to struggle with the technical requirements and labor shortages.

Have you experienced significant delays at European borders recently? Share your experience in the comments below or subscribe to our newsletter for the latest travel updates.