Schengen e‑gates trigger long queues

The European Union’s Entry/Exit System became fully operational on April 10, replacing passport stamps with biometric records for non-EU short-stay travelers. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) At Schengen borders, first-time travelers can now be asked for passport details, fingerprints and a facial image, with entries and exits logged digitally instead of stamped by hand. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) (commission.europa.eu) The system covers 29 European countries using EES, and the European Commission said it is now live at all external border crossing points except Cyprus and Ireland, which are outside the Schengen area. (gov.uk) (commission.europa.eu) For travelers, the immediate change is time. The UK government said EES may take each passenger extra time and warned that checks can run longer during busy periods. (gov.uk) That warning is already colliding with airport operations. Airports Council International Europe, Airlines for Europe and the International Air Transport Association said on February 11 that passengers were facing waits of up to two hours during the rollout. (iata.org) Those groups told the European Commission that summer traffic could push queues to four hours or more, citing understaffing, technology problems and limited use of Frontex’s pre-registration app. (iata.org) The rollout has also been uneven at the UK-France border. Connexion France reported that most passengers on Eurostar, Le Shuttle and cross-Channel ferries were not yet facing new biometric collection in early April because French equipment was not fully in place. (connexionfrance.com) UK guidance still says any EES checks for travelers leaving through Dover, Folkestone or London St Pancras will be done before departure, at the border controls operated there. (gov.uk) The European Commission says the payoff is tighter enforcement. Since the phased launch began on October 12, 2025, the system has logged more than 45 million border crossings, refused entry to more than 24,000 people and flagged more than 600 security risks. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) The next test is the summer peak. Officials say later crossings should be quicker after a traveler’s first registration, but carriers are pressing for more flexibility before July and August traffic arrives. (commission.europa.eu) (iata.org)