The European Union’s new Entry Exit System is making border control noticeably slower for British travellers, according to airport officials in Italy and Portugal, even after some operational improvements. The digital system, which applies to non-EU citizens entering the Schengen area, requires fingerprints and a photograph on arrival, with the data checked again when travellers leave. It has been introduced gradually since October and is being used through automated kiosks or, in some cases, by border officers.
At Rome’s Fiumicino airport, Ivan Bassato, the chief aviation officer, said the system has nearly tripled the time it takes UK nationals to clear passport control. He said the process has improved since fingerprints and photos could be registered at e-gates, but the airport is still seeing delays that he described as unacceptable. According to Bassato, the time for UK travellers to move through the border has risen from about seven minutes to around 20 minutes, and he argued that some parts of the process need urgent correction. He also said the airport would prefer to remove duplication and expand the use of the EU’s pre-registration app, which is currently used only by Sweden and Portugal.
Queues, bugs and pressure on airports
Travellers passing through Rome described waits of an hour or more, with some saying they missed onward transport. Similar problems have been reported elsewhere, including at Faro airport in Portugal, where border superintendent Pedro Oliveira said a queue that once took around 10 minutes can now take more than 30. He said the system has had technical bugs and can be affected by issues in connected servers elsewhere in Europe, though he maintained that long waits are still uncommon and that the automated machines are usually the fastest option.
The European Commission says disruption is limited at most EU airports and that it will keep supporting member states as they implement the system. But airlines and airports have continued to press for more flexibility, especially around busy travel periods. Ryanair has warned passengers flying to Europe to allow extra time and expect extended waits at passport control, saying the rollout has been causing unnecessary delays. For now, the new border regime is testing airport operations across the region, with officials warning that the system still needs work before it can match the speed of the old process.
Source: bbc.co.uk
