Aviation trade bodies warn of four-hour queues unless changes are made

Mace | 12th February 2026 | Brussels, Culture & Travel

Trade bodies warn of 4 hour long queues if changes are not made (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Trade bodies warn that biometric entry requirements will lead to massive delays for travellers

Major trade bodies representing airlines and airports across Europe have issued an appeal to the European Commission, arguing that the current roll-out of biometric entry requirements is causing "massive delays and inconvenience" for travellers from outside the bloc. As a result of these delays, holiday-goers could face queues of up to four hours when travelling to Europe. The Entry/Exit System, which was introduced last October, requires non-EU passport holders to provide fingerprints and facial photographs when entering the Schengen area. These biometrics must then be verified each time they leave and on all future visits. Industry groups including Airports Council International, Airlines for Europe and others have written to Magnus Brunner, the EU's commissioner for internal affairs and migration, highlighting that passengers are already facing waits of up to two hours at border control. This does not take into account that in some areas, such as Geneva, four hour queues are already...

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