Berlin Airport Reports Up to Two-Hour Queues Under EU Entry-Exit System

The head of Berlin Airport said non-EU nationals arriving at one terminal are waiting between one and two hours under the EU's new Entry-Exit System. " The system requires travelers from outside the EU to register biometric data on entry to most European countries.

It has been fully operational since April and is intended to track when third-country nationals enter and leave the Schengen zone.

UK and Airlines for America said the rollout has been inconsistent. They called for contingency measures and a review of the current timeline as peak summer travel approaches. Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy said the policy should be paused where systems are not ready. He stated that such a step would improve the experience for holidaymakers.

Dunbarton said she and her son missed their flight from Rome in June after spending up to 90 minutes in EES queues. She said most machines at the exit checks were out of order and described the process as too stressful to repeat this year. An EC spokesman said the impact has been limited at most EU airports.

The spokesman added that member states have not always provided enough border guards, infrastructure, or automated equipment where problems have occurred. ACI Europe wrote to EC leadership stating that wait times have reached up to five hours during peak periods.

The group argued that countries should be allowed to suspend EES checks proactively when high passenger volumes are expected.