Maximum wait times at major European airports this summer are twice as long as last year, a result of the problematic implementation of the European Union’s new electronic border control system.
According to data from the travel analytics firm Qsensor, as reported by the Financial Times, in Frankfurt, the maximum wait time reached 120 minutes in July—amid increased summer travel—up from 60 minutes a year earlier.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In Munich, the longest wait times rose from 31 to 60 minutes, while at Amsterdam Airport, the maximum wait time soared from 80 to 120 minutes.
The travel industry had repeatedly warned that the new system would cause major delays, pointing out that its design had not adequately taken into account the risk of creating bottlenecks, as airports are struggling to process passenger checks quickly enough.
Reporting on the chaos at airports in Europe caused by a new border control procedure ‘EES’: pic.twitter.com/SbFgbbiuTa
— Christine Mhundwa
(@mhundwa7) July 8, 2026
The EU’s new entry and exit system
The European Union implemented the Entry/Exit System (EES) in April, the new electronic entry and exit system, which requires travelers from the United Kingdom and other non-EU countries to provide their fingerprints, a photo, and their personal information upon their first arrival.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary argued that the system is “poorly designed” and that the process should be conducted online. “Only Europeans could come up with such nonsense,” he told investors last month, adding that the airline had observed significant lines at about 15 airports.
The system is designed to strengthen the security of the EU’s external borders by recording who enters and who leaves the Union. Among other things, its goal is to identify those who remain in the EU beyond the permitted duration of their visa, as well as to help locate individuals wanted for crimes.
However, its implementation has been marred by delays, technical problems, and malfunctions in the necessary equipment.
“Delays in departures and operational problems”
A spokesperson for Frankfurt Airport stated that the new border controls have caused “delays in departures and further operational problems” at the airport.
Data provided by Qsensor to the Financial Times offers a snapshot of wait times in lines at specific locations throughout the day. It is based on both data reported by passengers themselves and publicly available information.
“As wait times increase, we’re seeing growing concern among both British and North American travelers about how long they’ll have to wait in line,”said Oliver Maxfield, founder of Qsensor.
The data shows clear increases in wait times during peak hours at the three airports, which are among Europe’s largest aviation hubs.
In Munich, in fact, the increase in wait times was evident only for passengers who had to go through manual screening. This suggests that EES registrations contributed to the delays, as the automated lanes are intended for EU passengers, who do not need to register for the new system.
Airports Temporarily Suspend Some Checks
Many airports have temporarily suspended certain EES procedures, such as not collecting fingerprints during peak hours, in order to ease congestion and reduce lines.
This flexibility is set to end in September. However, eight EU member states, as well as Switzerland, have asked the European Commission to extend the application of the exemptions.
The Commission is currently discussing with member states the possibility of extending the existing exemptions. “As for the period after the summer, we are in close and constructive communication with the few member states where there are challenges at specific border crossing points,” said a spokesperson for the European Commission.
According to the spokesperson, the average time to register in the EES is 70 seconds, while “in most cases” the impact on travelers from non-EU countries is limited.
The Commission also highlighted the “very clear security benefits” offered by the new system, noting that 160 million entries and exits have been recorded since it went live.
“Points of tension” at certain airports
British Airways CEO Sean Doyle told reporters that the new system has caused “points of tension” at certain airports, although overall, as he put it, it has not “significantly” affected the airline’s operations.
For his part, easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis called on airports that are not taking advantage of the temporary relaxation of screening requirements to show “common sense.” “Use common sense and don’t make people stand there for three hours,” he said.
Source: Protothema.gr
