EES: Six-hour queues reported for Britons in two Spanish hotspots
Airline industry trade body issues warning to travellers
IATA says the new checks have significantly increased processing times at border controls
Aéroport Nantes Atlantique
The airline industry's main trade body has warned that travellers could face waits of up to six hours at some European airports this summer as the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) continues to bed in.
The warning comes just weeks after French authorities temporarily eased EES procedures at Dover following severe delays during the Spring bank holiday weekend.
The EES, introduced in April, replaces passport stamps with electronic records for non-EU travellers entering the Schengen area, including Britons travelling to France.
Delays already reported across Europe
Speaking at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual meeting in Rio de Janeiro on June 6, the organisation's regional vice-president for Europe, Rafael Schvartzman, said disruption was already being reported in several countries.
"We are already seeing delays and misconnections in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Belgium, and elsewhere," he said.
IATA says the new checks have significantly increased processing times at border controls. According to the organisation, a routine passport check that previously took around 20 to 25 seconds now takes about 90 seconds under the EES.
Mr Schvartzman warned that queues of "three, four, five, six hours" were possible if authorities failed to address staffing and technical issues before the busiest weeks of the summer season.
Reports from Spain suggest some of the longest delays have been recorded at airports serving holiday destinations popular with British travellers, including Alicante and Lanzarote.
What does it mean for travel to and from France?
The latest warning is likely to renew concerns among travellers using ferry ports, airports and Eurostar services between the UK and France.
At Dover in May, French border police invoked an emergency provision allowing some EES procedures to be relaxed after queues stretched for several hours during the first major holiday weekend since the system came into force.
Biometric registration is not yet fully operational at Dover because some equipment is still being installed, with French officers currently creating traveller records manually.
The Port of Dover has previously warned that busy holiday periods could lead to further disruption while the new system is rolled out.
IATA is joining airlines in advising travellers to allow significantly more time than usual when travelling through border controls this summer.
The organisation also called on EU authorities to retain emergency flexibility measures beyond September, arguing that the system may not yet be stable enough to cope with peak passenger numbers.
Although Britons who hold valid French residency cards are exempt from EES registration requirements, they may still encounter delays at ports and airports affected by increased processing times for other non-EU travellers.
