Industry groups warn of potential four-hour border queues without urgent flexibility measures
Airports and airlines across Europe are calling on the European Commission to urgently review the rollout of the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES), warning that without immediate corrective action, the system risks causing severe passenger disruptions during the peak summer travel months.
In a joint statement issued in Brussels on 11 February 2026, ACI EUROPE, Airlines for Europe (A4E), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the progressive implementation of EES is already leading to excessive waiting times of up to two hours at airport border controls. They cautioned that conditions could deteriorate dramatically in July and August, when passenger volumes surge.
The warning was formalised in a letter sent to Magnus Brunner, EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, outlining growing operational concerns from both airports and airlines.
Structural issues driving delays
According to the industry bodies, three major factors are compounding the delays currently seen under the EES rollout, which at this stage requires the registration of 35% of third-country nationals entering the Schengen area:
Chronic understaffing at border control, limiting the ability of authorities to process passengers efficiently
Ongoing technology problems, particularly related to border automation systems
Minimal uptake of the Frontex pre-registration app by Schengen states, reducing its intended impact on speeding up passenger flows
Without urgent intervention, the groups warn that extending mandatory EES registration to all border crossings during peak summer traffic could result in queues exceeding four hours at some airports.
Call for flexibility through summer 2026
Airports and airlines are urging the European Commission to confirm that Schengen Member States will retain the option to partially or fully suspend EES implementation until the end of October 2026. While Regulation 2025/1534 allows for a progressive rollout, current provisions would remove suspension mechanisms as early as July 2026.
Industry leaders argue that it remains unclear whether the existing Schengen Border Control Code would provide sufficient flexibility to relax checks quickly enough should disruptions escalate during the summer peak.
“A disconnect between policy and reality”
In a joint comment, Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, Ourania Georgoutsakou, Managing Director of A4E, and Thomas Reynaert, SVP External Affairs at IATA, said there is a growing gap between institutional expectations and operational realities.
“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,” they said. “This must come to an end immediately.”
They added that with traffic at Europe’s airports expected to double during the summer months, flexibility is not optional but essential. “The rollout of EES must be able 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.”
As summer 2026 approaches, airports and airlines are pressing for swift political and operational decisions to prevent border bottlenecks from undermining Europe’s connectivity, tourism and global standing.