EU border system delays causing chaos, airports lobby warns

Stefan Schulte, president of ACI Europe and head of the company that owns Frankfurt Airport, described the situation as chaotic, with passengers facing hours-long queues at peak times. He urged politicians to "stop pretending... that EES is working just fine. It is not."

Schulte highlighted incidents where passengers have missed flights due to the lengthy processing times. Ryanair, for instance, blamed border delays for passengers being left stranded in Athens, while similar issues were reported in Milan. Wizz Air has advised British travellers to arrive at European airports three hours before their flights due to the new border checks.

ACI Europe is calling for "full flexibility for border control authorities to suspend the EES whenever needed to avoid further chaos – along with a rethink of those processes." Schulte emphasized the need to show respect to travellers and safeguard the EU's reputation as a welcoming destination.