{"id":55007,"date":"2026-05-28T17:39:53","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T17:39:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/55007\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T17:39:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T17:39:53","slug":"warning-issued-to-americans-planning-europe-vacations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/55007\/","title":{"rendered":"Warning Issued to Americans Planning Europe Vacations"},"content":{"rendered":"

American travelers are reporting delays, confusion, and nearly missed flights at airports in Europe following the full implementation of the European Union’s Entry\/Exit System (EES), a new biometric border control program.<\/p>\n

The EES, which began operations on October 12, 2025, replaces traditional passport stamping with digital records, including the collection of fingerprints and facial images. It has now been rolled out across 29 European countries in the Schengen Area and has been fully operational since April 10, according to the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch.<\/p>\n

A European Commission spokesperson told Newsweek the system is already delivering results, saying it is \u201cfully operational across all Schengen countries and works well at almost all border crossing points.\u201d<\/p>\n

The spokesperson said the system enhances security, noting that since October 2025, nearly 80 million crossings have been recorded and more than 35,000 refusals have been issued, including around 900 individuals identified as security threats.<\/p>\n

\"AUneven Rollout Leaves Travelers Facing Delays<\/p>\n

While the system is intended to improve efficiency in the long term, early experiences suggest the transition has been uneven.<\/p>\n

Chris Miller, a millennial from St. Louis, Missouri, who works as a deputy general manager for an international technology company, experienced the system firsthand during a late-April trip through Brussels Airport and Madrid Airport. He traveled with British Airways, Iberia Airlines, and American Airlines for his recent trip.<\/p>\n

He described inconsistencies across airports as a major issue, explaining that some locations rely heavily on manual processing while others use automated systems, leading to uneven wait times and uncertainty for travelers. He told Newsweek that the lack of consistency \u201cleads to confusion\u201d and \u201cthe fear that arriving with hundreds of others will cause a missed flight connection.\u201d <\/p>\n

One American mom in Portugal said that her husband nearly missed his flight at Lisbon Airport last week, \u201cNot because he was late. Because of the EES lines,\u201d according to a caption shared in a video on her Instagram account @semicuratedlife<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At Brussels Airport, Miller encountered long lines, with many biometric kiosks either still \u201cbeing assembled\u201d or out of service. As a result, airport agents had to manually complete tasks such as fingerprinting and scanning passports, significantly slowing down processing.<\/p>\n

He also noted that communication around the new system was limited, saying there were \u201cno signs about EES at either airport,\u201d explaining the process, with \u201conly staff directing people to lines or machines.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although Miller avoided missing his flight, he observed at least one family struggling to rebook after missing a connection. His departure home from Madrid was smoother, with more machines operational, but some remained broken, forcing passengers back into staffed lines.<\/p>\n

A Brussels Airport spokesperson told Newsweek that the rollout has \u201cled to longer waiting times,\u201d adding that officials are working closely with federal police to manage queues. They said expanding the use of registration kiosks and e-gates will be \u201ca key part of the solution\u201d and stressed that rapid implementation is crucial to reducing delays for non-EU travelers.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Aena, which operates Madrid Airport, told Newsweek that border control is \u201cthe exclusive responsibility of the national police,\u201d adding that the airport operator supports the process by coordinating with authorities and providing the necessary equipment.<\/p>\n

Major Hubs and Tourist Hotspots Hit Hardest<\/p>\n

Travel advisers say such experiences are becoming common at major transit points across Europe.<\/p>\n

Sarah Pardi, a travel adviser at Insurte, a global travel insurance company, said several busy routes and airports\u2014including Eurostar crossings from the United Kingdom, Milan\u2019s Linate and Bergamo, and Lisbon\u2014have seen bottlenecks. Pardi told Newsweek that the increase in travelers, particularly during the summer season, is adding pressure to the system, as first-time users must register biometric data, which takes additional time. \u201cDuring heavy tourism seasons, like the summer, this can slow down the overall line,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Steven Vigor, the CEO of Revigorate, a travel company, said delays are especially pronounced at major airport hubs such as Frankfurt and Paris Charles de Gaulle, as well as at airports that were already understaffed before the rollout. He said the system is not yet optimized for peak passenger volumes and is being implemented under challenging conditions.<\/p>\n

Vigor added that incomplete infrastructure has further complicated the rollout, with some airports still installing biometric kiosks or scaling back their initial plans. \u201cMany airports are coping with the pressure by adapting passenger-flow layouts while continuously coming across new setbacks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The European Commission spokesperson, however, emphasized that delays can stem from multiple factors and \u201cvery often they are not related to the operations of the EES.\u201d <\/p>\n

The spokesperson also noted that first-time registration typically takes just over a minute on average in most member states.<\/p>\n

Adjustment Period <\/p>\n

Despite the early challenges, officials maintain that the EES will deliver long-term benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Schengen area is the world\u2019s most visited destination, with 40 percent of global international travel crossing its external borders,\u201d the European Commission spokesperson told Newsweek, adding that the system is designed to handle high volumes of travelers and improve both efficiency and security.<\/p>\n

For now, however, both officials and industry experts acknowledge an adjustment period is underway. While the commission says flexibility and contingency measures are in place to manage peak demand, travelers are being urged to plan ahead.<\/p>\n