Ryanair has cautioned families in the UK to get ready for prolonged waits at passport control and potential airport disruptions caused by the European Union’s new automated border control system. The budget airline highlighted that the Entry/Exit System (EES), which replaces traditional passport stamps with digital records for travelers, has led to ongoing disruptions since its full implementation on April 10.
Specifically, fifteen destinations are currently experiencing significant delays due to slow processing times and extended passport control queues during both arrivals and departures, as highlighted by Ryanair. With summer holidays commencing and passenger numbers reaching peak levels, the airline expressed concerns that the flawed EES rollout would result in unnecessary delays and long queues for UK families.
Months after the launch of EES, many airports still lack fully operational self-service kiosks, while border staffing levels and infrastructure remain insufficient to handle peak passenger traffic, leading to avoidable delays and increased stress for UK travelers during the busiest holiday season.
Ryanair advised UK travelers going to and from non-Schengen destinations or transiting through affected European airports to anticipate extended waiting times at passport control. The new EES checks may involve passport scanning, fingerprint capture, and facial image verification.
The airline endorsed the urgent extension of current EES flexibilities into early 2027, as proposed by EU Member States. This extension would provide airports with additional time to rectify malfunctioning kiosks, bolster staff numbers, and ensure smooth system operations before full enforcement takes effect.
Neal McMahon, Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer, emphasized that families embarking on summer vacations should focus on packing essentials and relaxation, not enduring lengthy passport queues. McMahon reiterated the need for improved EES functionality to prevent passengers from bearing the burden of flawed border infrastructure testing.
In response to the challenges posed by the EES, Ryanair identified fifteen locations as recurring hotspots where passengers encounter substantial delays due to sluggish processing and excessive passport control queues.
