Aviation groups have written to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warning of a “significant worsening” in airport queues due to Entry-Exit System (EES) biometric checks as the summer peak travel season in July and August begins.
The letter, signed by leaders of airports association ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said that airlines could face “half-empty” aircraft at gate closing times due to passengers being delayed by border control queues.
It is the latest in an increasing chorus of pleas by the aviation industry to the EU to be given more flexibility in how EES is deployed at peak travel times, as the situation reaches what aviation bodies call a "critical point".
In their open letter to von der Leyen, the three associations said waiting times at EU border control have “increased significantly” since EES was fully implemented in April and were now up to five hours during peak traffic periods. They warn that this situation is likely to get worse at European airports as they prepare to handle an additional 40 million passengers in July and August.
“Without additional flexibility, existing challenges will inevitably intensify. As representatives of Europe's aviation sector, we have a responsibility to warn that this would result in a significant worsening of an already very difficult situation for passengers,” said the groups in the letter.
“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. Airlines face half-empty planes at gate closing time, while passengers are stuck in border control queues.”
The letter urges the commission to “act now” by implementing a range of changes “without delay”. These actions include allowing Schengen Area members to completely suspend EES “preventively” at busy times in July and August, as well as to establish a “permanent operational flexibility mechanism” by September to allow the system to be suspended under “clearly defined exceptional circumstances”.
The associations argue that these measures should be kept in place until issues affecting the operation of EES, such as border control staffing levels, the “stability and reliability” of EES systems, and the deployment of self-service kiosks across the 29 countries have been resolved.
The EU has continued to insist that it has given the Schengen countries “certain flexibilities” and “fall-back solutions” to avoid excessive queues this summer. It has also emphasised that EES has been “working well” and added that “often” long waiting times are not related to the operation of the system.
BTN Europe has approached the commission for further comment following the publication of the open letter on Wednesday (1 July).