Aviation groups push EU to suspend biometric border checks

Major European aviation industry groups have urgently called for the suspension of the European Union's new biometric border system, warning that its problematic implementation is causing severe travel disruptions and threatens to derail the peak summer holiday season. In a joint letter sent this week to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Airports Council International Europe, Airlines for Europe, and the International Air Transport Association stated the situation has reached a critical point just weeks before schools break for summer.

The Entry/Exit System (EES), which fully rolled out in April, requires travelers from outside the Schengen area, including those from the United Kingdom, to register fingerprints and a facial image upon first entry. It replaces manual passport stamps with a digital database intended to enhance security and track compliance with visa-free stay limits. Since its introduction, however, significant delays have been reported at border crossings across the continent, with waiting times during peak periods extending up to five hours.

The industry bodies report that these extensive queues are impacting millions of passengers,...