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EU Entry Exit System rollout slows passport control for Britons
Ryanair warned travelers heading to Europe this summer to expect longer waits after bugs in the Entry Exit System technology.
Brits traveling to the Schengen Area via EU airports are facing substantially longer passport processing times after the rollout of the EU Entry Exit System, with improvements so far not fully reducing delays, according to BBC Business.
In Rome, airport officials said passport control times nearly tripled even after fixes, while the BBC also reported that border police at Portugal's Faro airport blamed technology issues, saying the Entry Exit System had suffered from bugs even as they argued queues would fall quickly there.
The system requires non-EU citizens to register fingerprints and a photo when they arrive, with the data checked as they exit. BBC Business reported that the digital process and machines have been phased in since October, contributing to hours-long queues at some airports, including accounts of missed flights.
Ryanair warned passengers traveling to Europe this summer to prepare for extended waits, attributing delays to a failed EES rollout. In Rome, the BBC said Fiumicino airport has found it impractical to handle large passenger volumes through costly kiosks, and that UK nationals can use passport e-gates for biometrics rather than standalone machines, with children under 12 excluded from the process.