EU Entry/Exit System (EES) causing six-hour travel delays for Australians and non-EU citizens
Consensus Summary
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires biometric data collection for non-EU travellers, has caused severe delays at European airports during peak summer travel. Australians and other non-EU citizens are facing queues of up to six hours, with some missing flights due to the new system. The EES was fully rolled out in April 2026 across the Schengen Zone, but its implementation has been uneven, with some airports like Athens suspending it for British travellers to ease congestion. Airport authorities, including Rome’s Fiumicino and Ciampino, warn of potential disaster if the system isn’t adjusted, while the EU insists it works well overall and can be suspended in exceptional cases. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has advised Australians to bring food and water and allow extra time for travel, as delays have already led to missed connections. While the EU highlights security benefits, industry groups like ACI Europe and IATA warn of worsening conditions, with some predicting delays could persist for years.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) was fully rolled out in April 2026 across all 29 Schengen Zone countries.
- Australians are warned to expect queues of up to six hours to enter Europe due to EES delays, with DFAT advising to bring food and water.
- The EES requires biometric data (facial photographs and fingerprints) for non-EU citizens on first entry into the EU.
- Rome’s airports (Fiumicino and Ciampino) are facing potential 'disaster' due to EES delays, with CEO Marco Troncone warning of 'eight or nine' out of 10 concern levels.
- Athens airport has suspended EES for British travellers to reduce delays.
- DFAT advised Australians in May 2026 that EES delays could cause missed flights and urged extra time between connecting flights.
- The EU claims EES has identified over 1,100 people posing security threats and that the system works well for millions of travellers weekly.
- Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe) president Dr Stefan Schulte warned of overwhelmed airports due to EES delays.
- The EU acknowledges that EES can be suspended in 'exceptional circumstances' leading to excessive waiting times.
- Australia already uses SmartGates for biometric data collection on arriving passengers.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The EU’s automated digital border management system is called the Entry/Exit System (EES), not ESS (as mentioned in one source).
- The EU spokesperson mentioned that long waiting times are often due to staff shortages, infrastructure limitations, and flight concentration, not just EES.
- DFAT’s Smartraveller advised people with mobility or health concerns to discuss their needs with airport support staff.
- The EES was first introduced in October 2025 and fully rolled out in mid-April 2026 after delays.
- French police temporarily suspended extra checks at the port of Dover in May 2026.
- Greece scrapped a previous promise to spare UK travellers from biometric checks until September 2026.
- Passengers who have passed through EES before are often forced to undergo checks again.
- The International Air Transport Association (Iata) warned queueing times could reach six hours in some airports over the summer, with up to three-and-a-half hours already recorded during peak periods.
- Frontex deputy executive director Uku Särekanno said the situation might not 'stabilise' for two years.
- No additional unique details beyond SMH; identical content.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The SMH and The Age refer to the system as 'EES' while the SMH also mentions 'ESS' in one instance, which may be a typographical error.
- The Guardian states Greece 'scrapped a previous promise to spare UK travellers from biometric checks until September 2026,' but neither SMH nor The Age mention this specific detail.
- The Guardian reports that the EES was first introduced in October 2025, while SMH and The Age do not provide an initial rollout date, only the full rollout in April 2026.
Source Articles
‘Bring food and water’: Australians face six-hour lines for Euro summer
The EU’s automated digital border management system, called the Entry/Exit System, was rolled out in April just in time for the northern summer crush of tourism.
Rome airports threaten to suspend new EU passport system to avoid summer ‘disaster’
Airports CEO says letting non-EU passengers skip entry-exit system would be only way to avoid peak season travel chaos Rome’s airports will have to suspend the EU’s new digital border system for non-EU citizens to avoid a “disaster” during the peak tourism summer months, according to the head of the airports company. Marco Troncone said that allowing passengers to skip the biometric entry-exit system (EES) was the only way of avoiding travel chaos over the summer amid warnings from other Europea
‘Bring food and water’: Australians face six-hour lines for Euro summer
The EU’s automated digital border management system, called the Entry/Exit System, was rolled out in April just in time for the northern summer crush of tourism.