Brussels Airport warns of possible summer “chaos” over border control delays

Brussels Airport CEO Arnaud Feist has warned that passengers could face severe disruption this summer due to worsening delays at passport control, describing the current situation as “completely unacceptable”.

According to Feist, long queues for non-Schengen travellers have already become a serious operational and security concern, with some passengers reportedly waiting for hours at border checks. He warned that conditions could deteriorate into “total chaos” during the peak holiday season if additional measures are not implemented quickly.

One factor behind the delays is Europe’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which introduces additional biometric checks such as fingerprinting and facial recognition for travellers entering the Schengen Area from non-EU countries. Belgium temporarily delayed the full rollout of the system in March due to concerns about disruption.

Feist said the deeper issue is a longstanding shortage of federal police officers responsible for border control, with staffing levels at the airport estimated to be about 25% below requirements.

To ease congestion, authorities are considering expanded use of automated e-gates, including for some non-EU arrivals, while the federal government has promised additional police deployments during the summer travel period.

However, Feist stressed that concrete action — not just announcements — is now urgently needed to prevent major operational problems and reputational damage for both Brussels Airport and Belgium during the busy summer season.