The new entry/exit system (EES) has nearly tripled the time British passengers need to pass through border control at Rome’s Fiumicino airport, according to Ivan Basso, the airport’s operations director, who spoke to the BBC.
The entry/exit system is being rolled out gradually at borders across the Schengen area, which covers 29 European countries. It requires third-country nationals to provide fingerprints and a photo upon entry, with data verified upon exit. The registration is typically carried out on standalone machines, while children under 12 must be processed by a border guard.
Bassø stated that the time taken for British passengers to pass through border control has increased from seven to 20 minutes, despite improvements. Fiumicino has invested €12 million in the system, but the automated kiosks have proven impractical for the high volume of passengers, with British citizens now able to register their fingerprints and photos at electronic gates. "We are not at the level of process quality we had before the EES was introduced," said Bassø, adding that certain parts of the system need urgent repair.
At some European airports, passengers have reported long queues at border control, with some missing their flights. Ryanair has warned British passengers to allow extra time for travel to Europe this summer and to prepare for longer waits, describing the implementation of the system as flawed. Border police in Faro, Portugal, confirmed to the BBC that the technology has glitches, but stated that queues there are shrinking rapidly.
The European Commission has stated that disruptions at most EU airports are limited and that it will continue to support member states in the implementation of the system.
Bassø believes that the process should eliminate dual checks and that more countries should adopt the pre-registration system for passengers, which is currently only used by Sweden and Portugal. Airlines are also calling on the Commission to allow member states to temporarily suspend the system during peak periods.
