Ryanair is sounding alarm over potential airport chaos this summer due to EU's new digital border checks. Aletta von Massenbach,head of Berlin Airport,echoed concerns, saying non-EU travelers face waits up to two hours.
The Entry-Exit System (EES),fully operational since April,mandates biometric data registration for non-EU travelers. Though aimed at boosting security,it's causing big delays,especially at peak times. Ryanair's Neal McMahon slammed it as "half-baked," warning of long queues and missed flights.
Disruptions reported at Tenerife South,Palma, Alicante. Europe's airports trade body head called rollout a mess. EU Commission offered extra support but situation remains dire.
Von Massenbach pointed out complexity of different systems across EU states complicates processing. "So many sub-systems for each state," she said, noting this hinders smooth border checks.
At Port of Dover,EES faces tech issues. New area with 84 kiosks to grab fingerprints,photos is inactive due to tech glitches. Doug Bannister,Port of Dover chief,warned time's running out to fix this before summer rush.
Travelers frustrated . Anne Robinson from Dunbarton shared her June ordeal — 90-minute wait just to enter Rome. Despite arriving 3.5 hours early,faulty EES machines made her miss flight,costing £250 for new ticket.
Robinson vowed not to return to Europe this year,citing stress. EES tracks entry,exit of "third country" nationals in Schengen zone. Both Airlines UK and Airlines for America slammed inconsistent rollout,urging EU to rethink timeline.
With summer travel peak nearing,industry leaders call for pause on EES checks where systems unready. Von Massenbach hinted at Brussels meeting, suggesting officials see current setup as unsustainable.
ACI Europe, airports lobby group, reported border wait times hitting five hours during peak. Warned airlines might fly half-empty as passengers stuck in queues. EC spokesperson said efforts underway to ease EES impact,though problems persist with few border guards and lacking infrastructure in some states…
