EU urged to scrap new border checks as airports reach 'critical point' amid travel chaos

The EU has been urged to scrap new border checks as airports have reached a "breaking point" amid summer travel chaos.

European airports and airlines have issued an urgent appeal to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, demanding the immediate suspension of the EU's biometric border control system during the peak summer travel period.

The open letter, published by industry bodies ACI Europe, Airlines 4 Europe and the International Air Transport Association, warns that the Entry/Exit System has pushed operations to breaking point.

"We have reached a critical point," the groups stated, calling on Brussels to "act immediately" before conditions worsen further.

The system, which requires non-EU citizens to provide fingerprints and photographs upon arrival, has been rolling out since October but encountered severe difficulties following its full implementation in April.

Since the full rollout began, waiting times at border checkpoints have ballooned dramatically, with queues stretching to five hours during busy periods.

Millions of travellers have been caught up in the delays, the industry bodies reported.

"Passengers have already been forced to queue for extended periods outside terminal buildings and on exposed aprons because border control facilities cannot process arrivals quickly enough," the letter stated.

The knock-on effects have proved severe for carriers, with some aircraft taking off half-empty as passengers remained trapped in immigration queues when boarding gates closed.

Frontline staff at airports and airlines are facing mounting strain, while flight delays and missed connections have become increasingly common.

The disruption persists despite member states exercising temporary flexibility provisions that permit border authorities to waive biometric data collection until early September.

The industry groups are demanding that member states be permitted to suspend EES checks entirely whenever passenger numbers outstrip border control capacity, at minimum throughout July and August.

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Beyond the immediate summer period, the letter calls for Brussels to establish a permanent mechanism enabling authorities to halt the system under exceptional circumstances from September onwards.

These measures should remain in force until fundamental problems are resolved, the groups argued, including adequate staffing levels at border posts, reliable system performance, universal pre-registration capabilities, and fully operational self-service kiosks and automated gates.

Greece has already suspended biometric checks for British visitors until September, while Rome's airport chief warned last week that the system would need pausing to avert disaster during the summer months.

The industry bodies expressed alarm at statements from Brussels suggesting the EES rollout has been successful, arguing that technical deployment alone cannot measure the system's performance.

"The success of the EES cannot be measured solely by its technical deployment. It must also be assessed on its ability to operate effectively in the operational environment for which it was designed," the letter stated.

The groups warned that the system is currently failing to achieve one of its core aims: enabling efficient border crossings whilst maintaining smooth transport operations.

European airports anticipate handling approximately 40 million additional passengers during July and August compared with the preceding two months.

Some international visitors are already reconsidering European trips due to excessive border delays, the industry bodies cautioned, warning that the EU's reputation and tourism sector face lasting damage.

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