Aviation and Travel Bodies Urge Action on EU Entry-Exit System Queues Before Busy Season

The EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES) was fully implemented on April 10, 2026, to digitize and enhance border security across Europe. Nearly two months after its launch, industry groups report that hour-long queues continue at many destinations, particularly during busy travel periods.

ABTA, Airlines UK, ACI Europe, ECTAA, and other aviation and travel industry partners have supported the EES’s security objectives but warn that poor implementation could damage Europe’s reputation and compromise traveler safety. These organizations have monitored the system’s impact and called for urgent action to ensure operational efficiency.

Ahead of the EES rollout, trade bodies increased engagement with the European Commission, destination authorities, and the UK government. The industry has shared data and intelligence on the system’s performance and advocated a pragmatic approach to queue management. ABTA and Airlines UK, along with counterparts in America and Canada, have written to every Schengen country, the European Commission, and UK embassies overseas. The letters call for contingency measures to suspend checks during peak times, increased border staffing, wider adoption of the Travel to Europe app, and the extension of e-gate use to speed up passenger processing.

Current contingency measures allow for the suspension of some EES checks during busy periods until September 2026. However, industry groups note that queues of an hour or more persist as of June. They recommend extending these contingency measures until the end of the IATA summer season in late October.

Additional recommendations include expanding the rollout of the Travel to Europe app to enable upstream checks and streamline arrivals, and improving passenger triage by separating those who have registered in advance from those who have not. Industry groups report that the approach to these operational matters has been inconsistent and lacking central coordination or sharing of best practices.

While many travelers have experienced minimal disruption, industry groups maintain that improvements to the EES are necessary to prevent widespread delays during the upcoming summer peak. They plan to continue engaging with European partners to address these concerns and advocate for the recommended measures.