ACI Europe, A4E (Airlines for Europe), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have released a joint statement warning that the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) is continuing to cause delays, and that failure to solve this problem will result in severe disruptions over the summer.
The three entities sent a letter to Magnus Brunner, EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, to highlight their concerns. Within the letter, it was stated that airports and airlines have signalled wait times of up to two hours at border control due to three key issues: chronic border control understaffing, unresolved technology issues, and the limited uptake of the Frontex pre-registration app by member states.
Looking ahead, the letter warns that during the peak travel months of July and August, wait times could reach four hours or more at airports. The organisations have requested the confirmation that Schengen Member States will retain the ability to suspend EES until the end of October 2026, either partially or fully, given that with the current regulation, the suspension mechanisms end in July 2026.
In a joint statement, Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, Ourania Georgoutsakou, Managing Director of A4E, and Thomas Reynaert, SVP External Affairs of IATA, said: “There is a complete disconnect between the perception of the EU institutions that EES is working well, and the reality, which is that non‑EU travellers are experiencing massive delays and inconvenience. This must come to an end immediately. We need to be realistic about what will happen during the peak summer months, when traffic at Europe’s airports doubles. The rollout of EES must be flexible to react to operational realities. This is an absolute prerequisite for its success – and for safeguarding the reputation of the EU as an efficient, welcoming and desirable destination.”
You can read more about the Entry/Exit System here.
Photo: ACI Europe
