European aviation industry associations have formally asked the European Commission to suspend the new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) at airports during the peak summer months, warning that the digital border checks are already producing queues of up to five hours and forcing some flights to depart half-empty. In a letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, ACI Europe, Airlines 4 Europe and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) requested authorisation for airports to “completely suspend” the checks whenever passenger volumes exceed the operational capacity of border control posts in July and August. The groups also called for a permanent flexibility mechanism to be introduced after September for “clearly defined exceptional circumstances.”

According to the industry letter, the EES—which became fully operational on 10 April 2026 and requires non-EU travellers to register fingerprints and a facial scan upon entry and exit—has already reached a “critical point.” Airport operators in Rome, where the head of Aeroporti di Roma assessed the probability of a summer collapse at “eight or nine” out of ten, have described the process as incompatible with peak arrival surges. The associations estimate that European airports will handle roughly 40 million more passengers in July and August than in the preceding two months, a volume they argue the current infrastructure cannot process without severe disruption.

European Commission officials acknowledged technical problems with the system during an April meeting with ACI Europe and stated that solutions were being implemented, but they stopped short of agreeing to a blanket suspension. Viewed from Brussels, the EES is a cornerstone of a broader border digitalisation agenda that includes the forthcoming ETIAS pre-authorisation system, expected in late 2026, and is designed to tighten enforcement of the 90/180-day stay rule and to detect overstays and past visa refusals more reliably. The Justice and Home Affairs Council is scheduled to discuss Schengen priorities on 4 June, with a focus on digital borders and reinforced controls, though no immediate changes to visa procedures are anticipated.

Several member states have already taken unilateral steps. Greece suspended biometric checks for British travellers until September, and French police temporarily halted additional controls at the port of Dover in May. Industry representatives warn that the reputational damage is spreading, with some international travellers reportedly avoiding Europe for fear of excessive delays. The Commission now faces pressure to reconcile its security objectives with the operational realities of the summer travel peak, but no formal decision on the suspension request has been announced.