In a joint open letter dated 1 July 2026, ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and IATA warned European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) has reached a “critical point” just three months after going live. The industry groups report queue times of up to five hours at some airports, missed connections and aircraft departing half-empty because passengers are stuck in biometric control lines. They are asking the Commission to grant member states blanket authority to suspend EES procedures whenever passenger volumes exceed capacity—particularly during July and August—while a permanent flexibility mechanism is designed by September. Although the Commission has already allowed temporary suspension of biometric capture, operators say this is not enough to alleviate congestion. Italian hubs have joined the chorus: Rome Fiumicino’s operator ADR told the Financial Times that peak-period EES processing is “operationally incompatible” with expected summer volumes. Greece has already paused biometric enrolment for UK travellers until September, and French police briefly halted the system at Dover last May.
![Aviation bodies urge Brussels to let countries suspend biometric Entry/Exit checks during summer rush]()
During this period of uncertainty, VisaHQ can help travellers and corporate mobility teams streamline documentation and pre-travel compliance. Our Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers up-to-date guidance on Schengen visa requirements, biometric enrolment options and expedited processing solutions, helping passengers avoid last-minute surprises at the border.
If Brussels does not act, the World Travel & Tourism Council estimates Europe could forfeit up to €45 billion in visitor spending this season. For Italian corporates, longer border queues translate into lost productivity and higher travel-policy costs as travellers build in bigger connection buffers or switch to remote meetings. Companies should continue to brief non-EU assignees on biometric pre-enrolment options where available and monitor airport advisories closely.
During this period of uncertainty, VisaHQ can help travellers and corporate mobility teams streamline documentation and pre-travel compliance. Our Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers up-to-date guidance on Schengen visa requirements, biometric enrolment options and expedited processing solutions, helping passengers avoid last-minute surprises at the border.
If Brussels does not act, the World Travel & Tourism Council estimates Europe could forfeit up to €45 billion in visitor spending this season. For Italian corporates, longer border queues translate into lost productivity and higher travel-policy costs as travellers build in bigger connection buffers or switch to remote meetings. Companies should continue to brief non-EU assignees on biometric pre-enrolment options where available and monitor airport advisories closely.
