Entry-Exit launch strains Europe’s border checkpoints
Europe’s new Entry-Exit System, fully activated on April 10, is already testing airport operations across the Schengen Area. Early days of the biometric border regime brought multi-hour queues at major hubs including Milan, Amsterdam, Lisbon and Brussels, with some travelers missing flights after being held in crowded passport control lines. In one case at Milan Linate Airport, a departure reportedly left with fewer than one-third of its booked passengers on board.
The digital scheme replaces manual passport stamps for non-European Union visitors and records fingerprints and facial images at first entry. That initial enrollment is proving to be the main chokepoint, extending processing times and exposing uneven infrastructure and staffing between airports. Airlines argue the disruption stems from mandatory border procedures outside their control and are urging authorities to apply flexibility while systems stabilize.
What travelers should expect next
Officials position Entry-Exit as the backbone of a wider digital border strategy that should eventually reduce fraud and help manage short stays. For now, passengers are being advised to plan extra time when first entering Schengen countries, as performance is closely monitored ahead of the separate European Travel Information and Authorization System due later in 2026.
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Photos Source: AI
