EES delays expected to continue following reports of 6-hour airport queues

The EU’s Entry and Exit System (EES) rollout continues to disrupt travel, with six-hour queues reported at key holiday hubs. Introduced in October and expanded on April 10, the EES requires biometric data from British and other non-EU visitors entering Schengen, drawing sharp industry backlash. Airlines such as Jet2 and Ryanair urge a pause until after the summer peak, while Malta Air threatened to suspend Malta services over delays. IATA warns processing times could rise from 20–25 seconds to about 90 seconds per traveler, risking missed flights. Worst-affected hotspots include Lisbon, Lanzarote, Alicante, and Mallorca, with stabilization possibly taking one to two years.