Passengers landing at Fuimicino Airport in Rome have been facing lengthy queues at passport control, and it seems like the new European Union Entry Exit System (EES) is to blame. Reports from mid-July highlighted that travelers were waiting for up to two hours just to get through, especially families with children. One frustrated traveler mentioned, “I knew it was going to be bad, but not as bad as that. We actually missed our car and our driver!”
The EES is a new digital system requiring non-EU citizens to register their fingerprints and take a photo upon entering the Schengen area, which comprises 29 European countries. This information is then checked when they leave. However, despite improvements, the technology has been plagued by bugs, as pointed out by the airport boss in Faro, Portugal. He assured that queues would eventually decrease, but for now, travelers should be prepared for extended waits.
The European Commission (EC) has stated that disruptions are limited at most EU airports and that support for the system’s implementation will continue. However, many travelers are still feeling the impact. “The queue was huge, nearly an hour… it was just slow,” said one visitor. Another traveler shared a similar experience, recalling how they had to wait nearly two hours from disembarking to clearing passport control, which can be particularly frustrating for those traveling with kids.
Interestingly, only Sweden and Portugal have implemented a pre-registration app to help ease the process. Additionally, countries can suspend the EES under exceptional circumstances, a move that airports and airlines have been advocating for in anticipation of busy travel periods. Yet, a recent meeting with the EC yielded no changes to the current situation.
In Portugal, Superintendent Pedro Oliveira, who oversees border control at Faro airport, mentioned the challenges posed by an influx of UK travelers. “The high number of UK passengers arriving means some degree of queuing is to be expected,” he stated, adding that complications with the EU’s new IT system can lead to server crashes. “Sometimes crashes happen in all member states at the same time, and we need a few minutes to reboot everything.”
To combat the delays, more border officers have been recruited, and for families, children under 16 are directed to a border police staff member to record their biometric information. As for the future, travelers are advised to arrive three hours before their flights to avoid any last-minute rush.
So, what will happen next as the EU continues to adapt this new system? Will travelers ever see the end of these long waits? Let’s keep an eye on this situation!
Kaynak: Orijinal Haber