Rome's main airport says the EU's new border control system has nearly tripled the time Brits need to get through passport control, as summer travel begins to pile pressure on arrivals. The change affects non-EU travellers entering Schengen, where the Entry Exit System now asks for fingerprints and a photo on arrival.
Carl, a traveller from Yorkshire, said the wait with young children lasted two hours after his family got off the plane. “It was two hours queuing, from getting off the plane to getting through with children. I knew it was going to be bad, but not as bad as that,” he said in Rome.
Fuimicino Airport in Rome
The Entry Exit System has been phased in since October, with standalone automated machines often used to collect the data and check it as travellers leave. At Fuimicino Airport in Rome, some passengers have already faced hours-long queues, and some have missed flights home.
David, who travelled from the US with his wife Marlo, said the queue in Rome took about an hour. “We actually missed our car, our driver,” he said. Barry, from Bracknell, said passport control took 45-50 minutes because some machines weren't working.
European Commission and Ryanair
Ryanair warned passengers travelling to Europe this summer to prepare for extended waits, and said “the failed EES rollout” was causing unnecessary delays and long queues. The airline also told UK passengers to “allow extra time for their journey and be prepared for extended waits at passport control.”
The European Commission said disruption is limited in most EU airports and said it will continue to support member states in implementing the system. That leaves travellers facing a split picture: some airports are processing arrivals with little fuss, while others are still dealing with queues long enough to disrupt onward plans.
For readers heading through Rome or any other airport using the Entry Exit System, the practical answer is simple: arrive with extra time, expect fingerprint and photo checks, and do not assume the old passport-control pace will still apply while the rollout continues.
