The European aviation industry turned up the pressure on 8 July, publishing an open letter that calls on the European Commission to allow airports to ‘switch off’ the Entry/Exit System (EES) during the peak summer season. Brussels Airport – expecting 5.2 million passengers in July-August – is among the terminals most concerned. Since EES became fully operational in April, non-EU travellers must register fingerprints and facial images in addition to passport scans, a procedure that has stretched arrival lines to up to three hours and raised fears of five-hour gridlock on busy days. Industry bodies ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe and IATA argue that the system’s biometric kiosks cannot yet handle peak volumes. They want EU authorities to let border police temporarily revert to traditional passport stamping when queues become unmanageable. Ryanair, British Airways and EasyJet have backed the demand, warning that long waits are already prompting some tourists and executives to reconsider trips. Belgium’s Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke supports a phased approach, saying biometric collection should be paused until after the summer holidays and accompanied by extra federal-police staffing.
![Airlines urge EU to let airports suspend EES as Brussels Airport braces for 5-hour summer queues]()
Travellers looking for practical assistance amid these shifting requirements can turn to VisaHQ, whose Belgium portal provides real-time updates on EES procedures, visa options and documentation services. By consolidating entry guidance and offering expedited processing when possible, the platform helps corporations and individual passengers reduce uncertainty and keep airport wait times to a minimum.
Brussels Airport has installed 30 registration kiosks and redeployed staff but still sees “one-hour” departure queues and longer waits on arrival. For corporate mobility managers, the turmoil means factoring in extra transit time, advising travellers to schedule meetings well after landing and monitoring flight connections closely. Employers with large assignee populations entering via Brussels should brief staff on possible exemptions and have contingency plans—such as remote work days—if delays cause missed flights. Longer-term, the debate highlights the need for smarter queue-management technology and better coordination between EU agencies and national police forces. Even if a summer suspension is granted, companies should anticipate renewed biometric controls in September and ensure travellers understand EES procedures, document requirements and potential data-privacy implications.
Travellers looking for practical assistance amid these shifting requirements can turn to VisaHQ, whose Belgium portal provides real-time updates on EES procedures, visa options and documentation services. By consolidating entry guidance and offering expedited processing when possible, the platform helps corporations and individual passengers reduce uncertainty and keep airport wait times to a minimum.
Brussels Airport has installed 30 registration kiosks and redeployed staff but still sees “one-hour” departure queues and longer waits on arrival. For corporate mobility managers, the turmoil means factoring in extra transit time, advising travellers to schedule meetings well after landing and monitoring flight connections closely. Employers with large assignee populations entering via Brussels should brief staff on possible exemptions and have contingency plans—such as remote work days—if delays cause missed flights. Longer-term, the debate highlights the need for smarter queue-management technology and better coordination between EU agencies and national police forces. Even if a summer suspension is granted, companies should anticipate renewed biometric controls in September and ensure travellers understand EES procedures, document requirements and potential data-privacy implications.
