Call to suspend new EU border system in peak holiday period as planes leave half full

Airlines and airports have called to suspend the EU’s new biometric border check system during peak summer travel, warning that queues are already reaching up to five hours and some flights are departing with half-empty passenger loads. In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, airport and airline groups including ACI Europe, Airlines 4 Europe, and the International Air Transport Association say border facilities cannot process arrivals quickly enough. They request the Commission allow airports to “completely suspend” the checks whenever passenger volumes exceed operational capacity in July and August. The system, introduced gradually from last October, requires non-EU citizens to register with fingerprints and a photograph at destination airports. The rollout has faced disruptions, including Greece suspending checks for British travellers until September and temporary steps by French police at Dover, alongside warnings from Rome’s airport chief about needing a summer suspension. The groups also warn that excessive delays could make some international travellers reconsider trips to Europe.