Airlines and airports across Europe are urging the European Union to temporarily halt its new biometric border check system during the peak of the summer travel season. The industry warns that lengthy queues and significant delays are causing major disruptions for travelers, with some passengers experiencing waiting times of up to five hours at border controls. These delays have led to flights departing with empty seats, as people remain stuck in lines, and in some instances, airlines have had to delay takeoffs to accommodate those still undergoing the checks.
The biometric system, which began a phased introduction in October, mandates that non-EU travelers provide fingerprints and facial images when entering the EU. However, this rollout has been fraught with operational difficulties for airports and border authorities. In response, representatives from the airline and airport sectors have appealed to the European Commission to permit a temporary suspension of these checks in July and August, specifically when the number of travelers exceeds the capacity of border controls.
Implementation issues have already been reported in several countries, with some locations choosing to reduce or even pause biometric screenings to avoid significant disruptions during this busy travel period. These problems have raised concerns about the potential impact on Europe’s tourism industry and its international travel reputation, especially as airports gear up to handle millions more passengers over the summer months.
To address these challenges, industry groups have stressed the need for increased staffing, upgraded technology, and dependable automated systems. They argue that these steps are essential to ensure the biometric checks can be conducted efficiently and without causing major disruptions to travelers.