As the clock ticked, the family spent over five hours in queues for the Entry/Exit System (EES) checks, which had been fully launched just weeks earlier on April 10. The EES requires non-EU nationals to provide fingerprints and a facial photo as part of the new regulations. David described the scene as ‘mayhem,’ with thousands of passengers trapped in long lines.

Only about a third of the fifteen booths were manned, exacerbating the situation. Passengers faced manual processing that took roughly five minutes each, while EES kiosks at major hubs in France were out of order due to technical issues. This led to frustration and anxiety among travelers.

David recounted people approaching him in tears, pleading, ‘Excuse me, I’m going to miss my flight.’ After two hours past their scheduled departure time, they finally made it through passport control—only to find they had missed their flight entirely.

The family’s ordeal didn’t end there. They faced an additional four hours just to check their luggage back in. David reflected on how he might choose to drive next time rather than endure such hassles: ‘I’d probably drive. I just think the hassle of all that you can drive there quicker.’

The European Commission maintains that the EES system has been functioning effectively across most member states since its rollout. However, Greece has already suspended biometric checks for British nationals amid growing concerns about long waiting times.

ACI Europe has warned that delays could extend up to three hours during peak travel periods as many European countries temporarily halt EES checks due to overwhelming queues. The exact duration of these technical issues affecting EES kiosks remains unclear, leaving travelers uncertain about future processing times.

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