The adoption of the European Electronic System for Cross-Border Travel (EES) is causing disruptions for travelers entering or exiting the European Union, with lengthy queues and missed flights reported.
. The scheme is part of a wider move to modernise border control and improve security for non-EU travellers entering and leaving the European Union .with a digital process that requires visitors to register biometric information, including fingerprints and facial images.
It will apply to short-stay travellers from countries such as the UK, with their movements recorded electronically rather than manually stamped. While the aim is to streamline border management over time, the rollout has already prompted warnings from airlines and travel experts about potential disruption. Somehad to say about his experience with the new EES systems on his trip home from Vienna with a stop over in Frankfurt airport.
My own experience fell short of the horror stories unfolding across social media, but the lengthy queues, especially for connecting flights, are not to be disregarded. After around 30 passengers travelling with both Ryanair and easyJet missed their flights from separate Milan airports because of EES-related delays, I expected the worst ahead of my two return connecting flights from Manchester to Austria via Germany.
Travel experts like Simon Calder and a number of airlines including Jet 2, easyJet and Ryanair have warned travellers of potential delays, with some predictions flagging waits of up to four hours. After finally coming face-to-face with EES and those struggling to make their flights on time, there are a few things to note before getting to the airport. If you're British and travelling to Europe, the EES is basically a digital replacement for passport stamping.
The first time you enter a Schengen country like France, Spain, or Italy, you'll need to scan your passport, have a photo taken and give fingerprints at the border. After that, your details stay in the system, so future trips should be quicker. British travellers can still stay in Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but the EU will now track those days electronically instead of stamping passports.
The main thing travellers will notice is longer queues at airports, ferry ports and Eurostar terminals, especially during busy periods. My advice is get to your destination several hours in advance - you'll stand in line for nearly an hour simply waiting. During my return from Vienna to Manchester, I had a layover of three hours in Frankfurt.
If the time to connect was any shorter, there is no doubt I would've been scrambling to catch my flight or missed it entirely. There are kiosks after security checks allowing people to register their biometrics at their leisure. Despite having done this long before entering the border patrol queue, I was still forced to endure a lengthy wait of almost an hour because so many others were doing it for the first time.
Even if you've registered, you will still be faced with the long wait regardless, which is my biggest grievance with the system. There isn't a fast track EES line - you're stuck with everybody else. Registering takes no longer than a minute, but if everyone does it at the border gate instead of the readily available kiosks dotted around, it adds unnecessary frustration and eats into precious time.
Passengers tried to politely weave past those waiting patiently in an effort to reach the front, only to be stopped by frustrated travellers who pointed out there was nowhere further ahead to move. Several North American passengers attempting to catch a flight to Seattle alerted airport staff about their imminent departure, but were told there was nothing that could be done and were instructed to join the queue.
Although I was lucky enough to enjoy a leisurely wait before my connecting flight, the stress in others in palpable, and very little can seemingly be done to help. If you are flying this summer, my advice is to get there an hour earlier than typical, even if it feels ridiculously too soon. You have no idea what to expect.
European Union EES Border Control Travel Disruptions Long Queues Missed Flights
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