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Airlines and airports urge urgent rethink of EU border system amid summer disruption

2026-07-01T07:45:00

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Aviation groups call for urgent flexibility on EES as border delays surge, warning of mounting disruption to passengers, airport operations and Europe’s global competitiveness.

Europe’s leading aviation bodies have issued an open letter to Ursula von der Leyen, warning that the rollout of the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) is causing severe operational disruption at airports, with border waiting times reaching up to five hours during peak periods. The signatories urge the European Commission to introduce immediate flexibility measures, including the temporary suspension of EES where passenger volumes exceed border control capacity, as the summer travel season intensifies.

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