EU’s EES border checks trigger five-hour airport queues as industry warns of summer travel disruption
EU's fully operational Entry/Exit System is triggering severe airport bottlenecks, with reports of multi-hour queues and flights departing half-full. Aviation and tourism bodies warn disruption has reached a critical point ahead of peak summer demand, risking reputational damage and suppressing inbound travel and visitor spending. Near-term, operational strain and weaker bookings sentiment could weigh on Europe-exposed airlines, airports, and cruise/travel operators.
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The EU’s newly activated digital Entry/Exit System (EES), fully operational since April, has caused major border delays at airports across the bloc, with some travellers queuing for up to five hours and some flights departing half-full. Industry groups said the disruption has reached a “critical point” and could affect an additional 40 million passengers this summer and $45.4bn in tourism spending. The World Travel and Tourism Council backed calls to suspend the EES to ease pressure. The issue stems from an operational failure in regulatory implementation, directly impacting aviation and travel-related traditional assets.