EU border system sparks long queues

The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System is now fully live, and its first days brought long border queues, delays and missed flights at some Schengen crossings. (europa.eu) (aci-europe.org) The system became fully operational on April 10, 2026, after a phased rollout that began on October 12, 2025 across 29 European countries. It replaces passport stamps for short-stay non-European Union travellers with digital records of entry, exit and refused entry. (europa.eu 1) (europa.eu 2) At the border, officials now record a traveller’s name, travel document details, fingerprints and facial image. The European Commission says the database is designed to spot overstays automatically instead of relying on ink stamps in passports. (europa.eu 1) (europa.eu 2) The disruption comes at the start of the Easter travel peak, when airports and airlines had already warned that the end of the transition period could snarl passenger flows. On March 30, Airports Council International Europe said the timing of full rollout increased the risk of delays during one of the busiest holiday periods. (aci-europe.org) Airports and airlines say the problem is not the idea of digital border checks but how unevenly they are being run on the ground. In a joint statement on April 10, Airports Council International Europe, Airlines for Europe and the International Air Transport Association said the first day of full operations brought “passenger disruptions, delays and missed flights.” (aci-europe.org) (iata.org) Those groups had warned earlier, on February 11, that queues at some airports could stretch “well in excess of two hours” in peak periods without more flexibility from the European Commission and member states. They asked for temporary operational leeway while border posts, kiosks and staffing levels catch up with demand. (iata.org) (aci-europe.org) The European Commission has framed the system as a security and migration tool as well as a travel database. Before full launch, it said more than 45 million border crossings had already been registered during the phased introduction. (europa.eu) Not every traveller goes through the new process in the same way. The European Union’s travel portal says countries introduced the system gradually and local border posts can use different setups, including staffed desks and self-service kiosks, which helps explain why travellers have reported sharply different experiences from one airport or port to another. (europa.eu 1) (europa.eu 2) The next test is the summer rush. Airports, airlines and border agencies are now trying to make a biometric border system built for 29 countries work at holiday-weekend speed. (aci-europe.org) (europa.eu)