Ryanair Calls for Temporary Suspension of EU Entry/Exit System Amid Airport Chaos

The new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is causing significant travel disruption across Europe, with long queues and missed flights. Ryanair is urging governments to temporarily suspend the system until September to alleviate pressure during the peak summer season.

What is the EU Entry/Exit System?

The rollout of the new Entry/Exit System (EES) across Europe last month has been met with significant disruption, causing lengthy queues and chaos at airports. This automated digital border system applies to non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen Area – encompassing most of the EU, plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.

The system requires travellers to register biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs. Implementation across 29 European countries has resulted in widespread problems, with holidaymakers reporting extensive delays and even missed flights.

Ryanair's Response and Call for Suspension

Ryanair has responded to the ongoing issues by calling for a temporary suspension of the EES in all participating countries until September. The airline argues that this pause is necessary to manage the increased passenger flow during the peak summer season.

Criticism of Spain's Preparedness

Specifically addressing the situation in Spain, Ryanair criticized the authorities for failing to adequately prepare for the system’s launch despite having over three years’ notice. They highlighted a lack of sufficient staffing, system readiness, and kiosk installations.

Airport Disruptions and Passenger Experiences

Reports from Alicante Airport, a major Spanish hub, indicate the system is pushing airport operations to a ‘breaking point’ due to a combination of EES demands and staff shortages. The impact isn’t limited to Spain; Málaga Airport has also experienced significant disruptions, leaving travellers stranded.

Michelle Maguire, a British holidaymaker, and her daughter were delayed by 24 hours and incurred £1,000 in costs after missing their flight from Málaga to Liverpool.

Widespread Delays Across Europe

Waiting times are consistently exceeding one to two hours at numerous airports, including Málaga, Alicante, Lanzarote, Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Reus, and Fuerteventura. Similar issues are reported in Italy, with particularly long queues in Bergamo, Malpensa, Fiumicino, Ciampino, Venice, Turin, Palermo, Pisa, and Naples, and in France, at Beauvais, Marseille, and Nantes airports.

Ryanair's Concerns and Proposed Solution

According to Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer Neal McMahon, the core of the problem lies in the attempt to implement a flawed system during the busiest travel period. He emphasizes that passengers are enduring hours-long queues at passport control and, consequently, missing flights.

Ryanair points to existing EU legislation (Regulation (EU) 2025/1534) that allows for the suspension of the EES and suggests that governments follow Greece’s example by temporarily halting the system until September. This, they believe, would alleviate the pressure and provide a smoother airport experience for travellers, particularly families with young children.

Limited Responses from Authorities

Some countries are beginning to respond to the challenges. In Spain, AENA, the airport authority, has instructed staff to assist vulnerable passengers and families with young children in avoiding queues.

However, reports from Barcelona-El Prat Airport indicate that queues remain lengthy, with one parent on Reddit detailing a three-hour wait with crying children and a perceived lack of assistance from airport staff. While Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport appears to have more controlled queues with priority lines for children, some passengers have noted that the machines can be ‘sensitive’.