Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has sounded the alarm over serious difficulties at a number of European airports due to the new EU border control system, it reports.
According to the carrier, seven popular airports are already experiencing significant problems with the functioning of the Entry/Exit System (EES). Among them are Tenerife South, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, and Malaga in Spain, Milan Bergamo in Italy, Krakow in Poland, as well as Paris Beauvais in France.
Ryanair claims these airports are "not ready" to handle the increased passenger flow at the height of the summer season. The main reasons cited are staff shortages, a lack of sufficient equipment, and unprepared systems.
The new European Entry/Exit System was fully introduced in April. It requires citizens of non-EU countries, including the UK, to provide biometric data – fingerprints and a photo – upon entering the Schengen Area.
The airline warns that travelers between Schengen countries and countries outside the zone should allow for more time at airports. The reason is "chaos at border checks," which could lead to missed flights and serious inconvenience, especially for families.
Ryanair is urging European governments to delay the implementation of the system until at least September to avoid "long and unnecessary queues."
The company's Chief Operations Officer, Neal McMahon, stated that the system is not prepared for peak summer traffic and should not be used as an "experiment" with passengers.
According to him, the delays could lead to missed flights and significant stress for travelers.
The company adds that they have already sent calls to the affected countries to take measures, but so far there has been no response.
Meanwhile, the Port of Dover in the UK is also warning of the risk of serious congestion during the summer season if the system is not sufficiently flexible. Chief Executive Doug Bannister stated that queues of cars could stretch for miles outside the port.
He noted that despite an investment of £40 million in preparations, the system is still not fully functional due to technical problems with equipment.
The topic has already sparked political debate in the UK, where MPs are warning of possible transport chaos during the summer. Government officials assure that they are working in cooperation with the EU to limit problems and prevent the worst-case scenarios.