Speaking in Brussels on 3 July, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen conceded that the new Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) is generating “significant operational strain” at airports and that further technical and staffing measures are required before the peak summer rush. Her remarks followed media reports of queues exceeding four hours at Brussels, Amsterdam Schiphol and several Spanish holiday airports. An Aviation24.be analysis shows congestion whenever multiple wide-body arrivals coincide and ground staff must guide each non-EU passenger through biometric kiosks, many of which experience software resets. Airports blame a shortage of enrolment booths and the lack of a universally available pre-registration app. Although not directly quoted, UK carriers have echoed the concerns because Britons, now third-country nationals, must undergo full EES checks.
![EU admits ‘much still to do’ as Entry/Exit System causes long airport queues]()
Travel organisers who would like extra help preparing for the new procedures can consult VisaHQ’s United Kingdom portal, which compiles real-time Schengen updates, offers step-by-step visa and ETIAS guidance, and provides expedited document processing. Using the platform, HR teams can pre-populate traveller details and receive alerts on biometric requirements, helping passengers move through EES kiosks more smoothly.
Delays risk disrupting wave-based short-haul schedules out of Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester that rely on fast turnarounds at continental outstations. For global-mobility teams the practical advice is two-fold: build generous connection windows into multi-leg itineraries and brief employees on the extra data they will be asked to supply at the border (fingerprints and a facial scan). HR should also review duty-of-care policies to cover missed last-trains or late-night accommodation if flights are delayed leaving the EU. Von der Leyen said the Commission is “working hand-in-hand with Member States” on additional kiosks, staff redeployment and system patches, but stopped short of authorising a pan-EU pause.
Travel organisers who would like extra help preparing for the new procedures can consult VisaHQ’s United Kingdom portal, which compiles real-time Schengen updates, offers step-by-step visa and ETIAS guidance, and provides expedited document processing. Using the platform, HR teams can pre-populate traveller details and receive alerts on biometric requirements, helping passengers move through EES kiosks more smoothly.
Delays risk disrupting wave-based short-haul schedules out of Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester that rely on fast turnarounds at continental outstations. For global-mobility teams the practical advice is two-fold: build generous connection windows into multi-leg itineraries and brief employees on the extra data they will be asked to supply at the border (fingerprints and a facial scan). HR should also review duty-of-care policies to cover missed last-trains or late-night accommodation if flights are delayed leaving the EU. Von der Leyen said the Commission is “working hand-in-hand with Member States” on additional kiosks, staff redeployment and system patches, but stopped short of authorising a pan-EU pause.
