Home » TOURISM NEWS » France joins Spain, Italy, and Greece preparing for EU Entry/Exit System Rollout, Airlines Like Air France, Vueling, and EasyJet Brace for Impact on Tourist Arrivals
Published on
October 12, 2025
France, Spain, Italy, and Greece are preparing for the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) rollout, set to bring significant changes to how non-EU travelers cross borders within the Schengen Area. This new biometric system, which began its phased implementation in October 2025, requires travelers to provide fingerprints and facial recognition data upon entry and exit, replacing traditional passport stamps. As these countries, along with major airlines like Air France, Vueling, and EasyJet, brace for the system’s impact, the tourism, airline, and hospitality industries are adjusting to ensure a seamless experience for millions of tourists. While the EES promises enhanced security and more efficient border control processes in the long run, travelers should expect some delays during the transition period as these changes take effect across key European destinations.
France Joins Spain, Italy, and Greece Preparing for EU Entry/Exit System Rollout
As the Schengen Zone prepares for the Entry/Exit System which is slated for implementation for France, Spain, Italy and Greece the Union will now get to start the Union’s biometric borders for travel/ Entry/Exit System will roll out in stages with non-EU members implementing the biometric borders in October 2025 when borders become super accessible for EU members. With the airlines, tourism and hospitality sectors getting ready for the biometric borders within Schengen Zone, the tourism sectors should have smooth transitions in operations for the travelers in the biometric border until the passport stamping.
France Joins Spain, Italy and Greece in Preparing for EU Entry/Exit System Rollout
Allowing for the EES to roll out, France aims to capture the tourist who will now have to pay fees to enter and leave the Schengen Zone. With the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum, France is the most famous of the Union and captures tourists with its major attractions. France is the leading of the EU members for international arrivals with 100+ million arrivals estimated in 2024. France’s border control will irrevocably change with the introduction of the EES and travelers should be aware of the delay in border control processes for smooth passage on the initial delay in the border processes.
The EES intends to make security enhancements and manage illegal immigration, but it does mean longer border wait times for travelers. For these reasons, France is taking measures by modernizing infrastructure in Paris Charles de Gaulle, which is going to be the main entry point for travelers. France’s national carrier, Air France, is adjusting its operations in anticipation of increasing passenger processing times and planned route capacity in the summer schedule.
EES in Spain, Italy, and Greece
In the same manner as France, Spain, Italy, and Greece’s economies are primarily reliant on tourism as well. These countries are implementing planned operational adjustments for the EU Entry/Exit System to ensure there are minimal tourist disruptions. Major European carriers, EasyJet, Vueling, and others, are also implementing planned operational adjustments on flight schedules, and staff are ready for the unfolded operational complexities of border processing.
Each year, over 90 million tourists travel to Spain, which is the most visited country worldwide. During the implementation of the EES, Spain’s only EES border Spain’s EES Schengen zone on the France border. EES border control stations will likely be configured to handle this volume. Most likely, busy Spain airports, especially Madrid and Barcelona, will likely experience EES border control delays. As Spain’s Vueling airline handles a large part of the European short-haul flights, it will have to maintain a schedule and avoid a domino delay in flights as border processing delays will occur during EES operational hours.
Similarly, Italy and Greece, which each receive tens of millions of tourists, will face EES border control delays as they each receive tens of millions of tourists. Major cities like Rome, Milan, and Athens will be key entry points, attracting travelers from around the world. EasyJet will have to avoid delayed flights to the new biometric-check in procedures on their Europe stretch.
Air France, Vueling, and EasyJet Brace for Impact on Tourist Arrivals
These Airlines prepare for the EES rollout. Air France, Vueling, and EasyJet having strategic adjustments in anticipation of minimal disruption of tourist arrivals as their key international routes to the UK and Europe
Air France is improving the efficiency of processing passengers at the main airports including Charles de Gaulle, which will mainly be a hub for the biometric checks. Air France is also looking to provide passengers with simple and cohesive descriptions of the new border procedures. This will help ensure the travel process is seamless.
Vueling has taken the initiative to provide additional staffing and resources to address the new system demand at some of its busiest airports which include Barcelona El Prat and Madrid Barajas. As Spain’s low-cost airline, Vueling also seeks to mitigate any inconvenience that increased passenger volume may cause.
As a leader in low-cost air travel, EasyJet has been working with local authorities to alleviate congestion at check-in and security to ensure the effectiveness of operations at the main airports such as Gatwick and Milan Malpensa in preparation for biometric checks. This is part of the overall efforts to facilitate the check-in and border processes for travelers.
A new border control system is designed to put France, Spain, Italy, and Greece at the top of travelers’ destinations. The system will likely also affect the hospitality sector in these countries as the new border system will change the speed at which tourists can move across borders and possibly impact hotel bookings.
- France: Being the most visited nation in the world, France has seen an increase in bookings in hotels, especially in Paris. Due to an increase in wait times at border controls, France’s tourist may be forced to rethink their plans. Airports hotels like Hilton Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Ritz Paris will likely add more amenities, including concierge border aid services, to ease the wait times and border control of their guests.
- Spain: Within the Spanish hospitality sector, there has been an increase interest in the cross-market of eco-tourism and cultural travel. More tourists visiting rural areas will be likely to cause the EES to complicate travel. Balearic islands and Catalonia are especially targeted for rural eco-tourism and attractions. To prepare for the demand, places like Hotel Arts Barcelona and Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque Resort are enhancing the range of services to boost comfort.
- Italy: Italian hotels, particularly within Rome and Venice, are already attending to increased demand for more luxurious and boutique accommodations. Longer entry times likely to occur with the EES will impact check-in processes. Concern about travel disruptions is being alleviated through retention of guests at major city hotels such as Hotel de Russie in Rome and Palazzo Avino in Amalfi.
- Greece: The new system in Greece is focused around hospitality laws and regulations as systematized and designed within the EES hospitality regulations. EES travel and entry information will be provided as a Greek hospitality sector travel and entry policy within the new system in Greece. The flow of travel and possible late check in will be managed within the Greek hospitality sector which includes Costa Navarino and Katikies Hotel Santorini.
Travel Tips for Tourists Navigating the New EES
Below are few travel tips to ease entry processes as travelers get ready for the EES:
- Extra Time at Airport: Plan to arrive at the airport as as check-in and boarding processing will likely be slower with the EES biometric processing instead of passport stamping.
- More Travel Documents: As travel is regulated more, be sure to hold more passport coverage as well as travel insurance and health certificates for more difficult destinations.
- Stay Updated on Local Regulations: Every country might have particular requirements regarding the EES that could include extra documentation and additional health requirements. For the most accurate information, check the websites of the airlines and the government portals.
- Install Airline Apps: Several airlines, such as Air France, Vueling, and EasyJet, have mobile applications that can track the status of flights, the check-in process, and border control status.
Flight Details
Below is information on recent flights operated by airlines in France, Spain, Italy and Greece:
- Air France: Daily flights from New York (JFK) to Paris (CDG). The EES will impact check-in and biometric checks at both airports, which may cause some delays.
- Vueling: Flights from Barcelona (BCN) to Rome (FCO) will experience new EES system processing delays along this popular European route. During the high travel season, border control will be more congested, especially on exit and entry.
- EasyJet: Flights from London Gatwick (LGW) to Milan Malpensa (MXP) are also operated by EasyJet. Due to biometric checks, the border control process will take longer at immigration.
France, Spain, Italy, and Greece are preparing for the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) rollout, which will affect non-EU travelers’ border crossings. Airlines like Air France, Vueling, and EasyJet are adjusting operations to accommodate the new biometric checks.
Wrapping Up
Non-EU tourists are traveling faster and easier with the new EU Entry/Exit System. France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Air France, Vueling, and EasyJet are getting used to the new system. Border delays are to be expected, but enhanced security and system efficiency are the bottom line. Border tourists will need to adapt because the system is new and still being fine-tuned.
Visiting Europe’s most popular destinations is easy and rewarding. These travel tips will provide everything needed to make the most of the new system.
