Just weeks after the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) became mandatory, the operator of Rome’s Fiumicino and Ciampino airports has warned it may switch the system off during July and August to prevent passenger-flow “disaster.” In an interview published this morning (25 June), Aeroporti di Roma CEO Marco Troncone said the biometric enrolment process—fingerprints and a facial scan for every non-EU short-stay visitor—was proving “incompatible with peak-season volumes.” Under EU implementation rules, individual border posts may revert to manual passport stamping for up to six hours at a time until 30 September when queues exceed 45 minutes. Troncone hinted Rome could use that flexibility almost continuously, effectively pausing EES for the busiest weeks. Italian media report the transport ministry is considering an emergency decree to formalise the approach, although officials in Brussels say no formal notification has been received. For the 450,000 Irish residents expected to travel to Italy this summer, the move could be welcome. Since Ireland is outside Schengen, every Irish passport holder must now complete the EES biometric capture on first entry to the zone; early-June trials produced two-hour queues at Fiumicino.
![Rome Airports Consider Suspending EU Biometric Border Checks—Irish Holidaymakers Could Benefit]()
If you’re unsure how the changing rules affect your trip, VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) provides real-time updates on EES, ETIAS and other entry requirements, and can streamline the paperwork for both leisure and corporate travellers, helping you avoid last-minute surprises.
A suspension would restore the faster but less secure manual stamp—cutting connection-risk for Aer Lingus and Ryanair passengers transiting via Rome to Mediterranean destinations. Travel-risk managers in Irish multinationals are updating advisory notes. Companies with staff routing through Rome are advised to monitor flight lead-times daily, as the on-off nature of any suspension could create confusion. The Irish Travel Agents Association says clients should still allow extra time until Italy officially clarifies its position. Longer-term, industry analysts believe the episode underscores capacity strains across Europe ahead of ETIAS, the electronic travel authorisation now slated for late 2026. Irish business travellers and tourists may face a patchwork of local derogations this summer before a more stable process beds in.
If you’re unsure how the changing rules affect your trip, VisaHQ’s Ireland portal (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) provides real-time updates on EES, ETIAS and other entry requirements, and can streamline the paperwork for both leisure and corporate travellers, helping you avoid last-minute surprises.
A suspension would restore the faster but less secure manual stamp—cutting connection-risk for Aer Lingus and Ryanair passengers transiting via Rome to Mediterranean destinations. Travel-risk managers in Irish multinationals are updating advisory notes. Companies with staff routing through Rome are advised to monitor flight lead-times daily, as the on-off nature of any suspension could create confusion. The Irish Travel Agents Association says clients should still allow extra time until Italy officially clarifies its position. Longer-term, industry analysts believe the episode underscores capacity strains across Europe ahead of ETIAS, the electronic travel authorisation now slated for late 2026. Irish business travellers and tourists may face a patchwork of local derogations this summer before a more stable process beds in.
