In peak times of travel, huge queues have formed at several European airports, part of the 10%, that have implemented the EES system which was delivered last October. The rollout of the biometric border system has not made a smooth integration and minimised cumbersome travel and only a fraction of airports are counted in the official rollout so far. The European Commission has paused the system until September during peak traffic as a result of the practical challenges at Geneva Airport, for example, to achieve an easy transition, which meant we had to deploy more staff. Half of airports are meant to be operating the EES but it is clear the technology has not been very dependable as passenger processing times increase.
The initiative is designed to monitor non-EU travellers coming into and out of the Schengen Area without physical documents. They register digital passport information and biometrics at kiosks at airports and across ports of entry.
The 10% of ports that activated the EES last October rose by 35% by the start of January, however, the closure date will be pushed back to this September with a busy summer schedule predicted to add to the chaos.
23 million entries and exits and 12,000 refusals were recorded on the system in January but despite airports being connected on the biometric plans, the European Commission spokesman Markus Lammert told The Times, it has been “complex and complicated”.
