This summer, the implementation of a new electronic border system by the European Union has doubled peak waiting times for passengers at two major European hubs, Frankfurt and Schiphol airports, compared to the same period last year. According to data from travel analytics firm QSensor, the longest queue times at Frankfurt Airport during peak travel hours in July reached 120 minutes, up from 60 minutes the previous year. Munich Airport saw waiting times rise from 31 minutes to 60 minutes, while Amsterdam Schiphol Airport increased from 80 minutes to 120 minutes.
The system, which launched in April, requires travelers from the United Kingdom and other non-EU countries to register fingerprints, photographs, and personal information upon their first entry. A Frankfurt Airport spokesperson stated that the new border checks have already caused "flight delays and further operational disruptions." Designed to enhance EU border security by tracking entries and exits, identifying visa overstayers, and assisting in locating criminal suspects, the system has been plagued by repeated delays, technical glitches, and hardware issues since its inception.
Industry experts have long predicted that the new system would lead to lengthy delays, warning that airports' inability to process travelers quickly enough would create bottlenecks. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary criticized the system as "badly designed," suggesting it should be moved online. He noted that significant queues have been observed at approximately 15 airports. The data clearly illustrates the surge in queue times at the three airports, all of which are among Europe's largest aviation hubs.
The change in waiting times at Munich Airport was only evident for passengers requiring manual checks, indicating that registration in the entry-exit system was a contributing factor to delays. Automated lanes remain reserved for EU travelers who do not need to register. To alleviate pressure, many airports have temporarily suspended some checkpoints within the entry-exit system, such as not collecting fingerprints during peak hours. This flexible arrangement is set to expire in September, but eight EU member states and Switzerland have requested an extension from the European Commission.
A European Commission spokesperson stated that they are in close consultation with some member states regarding the challenges at border checkpoints. The spokesperson noted that the average registration time for the entry-exit system is 70 seconds, which has a "limited impact" on non-EU travelers "in most cases," while emphasizing that the system has registered 160 million border crossings since its launch, providing "very clear security benefits."
British Airways CEO Sean Doyle mentioned that the system has indeed created "flashpoints" at some airports, but overall, it has not had a "significant" impact on operations. EasyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis urged airports that have not yet adopted flexible measures to "use common sense and not make passengers queue for three hours." The European Commission is currently in discussions with member states about the possibility of extending the existing exemption arrangements.