A family faced an 11-hour ordeal at Charles de Gaulle airport on April 29, 2026, due to extensive delays caused by the new EU border biometric checks. The situation highlights significant issues with the recently implemented Entry/Exit System (EES).
David Newton and his family arrived three hours before their flight but ended up stranded in departures for a total of 11 hours. They spent over five hours waiting in queues for passport control, ultimately missing their flight.
The Entry/Exit System was fully launched on April 10, 2026, requiring non-EU nationals to provide fingerprints and a facial photo at border checkpoints. This new protocol aimed to streamline border processing but has led to unforeseen complications.
Newton described the chaos at the airport as “mayhem,” noting thousands of passengers queuing at border control. Only about one-third of the available 15 booths were staffed, exacerbating the delays.
Technical issues have rendered EES kiosks at major French airports non-operational, further complicating the situation. Additionally, Greek authorities recently suspended biometric checks for British nationals in response to growing queues.
ACI Europe has warned that travelers could face delays of up to three hours during peak travel periods as manual processing takes approximately five minutes per passenger. This manual approach has become necessary as several European countries temporarily halted EES checks due to long wait times.
Passengers like Newton have expressed frustration over the delays. He recounted seeing others in distress, stating, “There were people coming up crying, saying, ‘Excuse me, I’m going to miss my flight.’” He added that he might consider driving instead of flying due to the hassle involved.
The European Commission maintains that the EES has been functioning well in most member states since its rollout. However, it acknowledged that suspension of biometric collection is permissible under exceptional circumstances that lead to long waiting times.
As officials work to resolve these technical issues and enhance processing efficiency, travelers remain anxious about future travel plans amid ongoing disruptions.
