EU Border Delays Triple Passport Times as UK Travel Sector Faces Summer Disruption
The European Union's new Entry Exit System (EES) has nearly tripled the time UK travellers spend at passport control at major European airports, according to a boss at Rome's main Fiumicino airport[1]. The delays come during the peak summer travel season, with Ryanair[1] warning passengers to prepare for extended waits across European destinations.
The digital system, which requires non-EU citizens entering the 29-country Schengen area to register fingerprints and photographs, has been phased in since October[1]. However, technical difficulties and processing bottlenecks have led to hours-long queues at major airports including Rome, Barcelona, and Faro.
Scale of Disruption at European Airports
Passengers arriving at Rome's Fiumicino airport have reported wait times of up to two hours to clear passport control. Carl, travelling from Yorkshire with his family, told the BBC[1]: "It was two hours queuing, from getting off the plane to getting through with children. I knew it was going to be bad, but not as bad as that."
In Barcelona, travellers reported queues taking nearly an hour, with some passengers describing wait times that approached the duration of their flights[1]. At Faro airport in Portugal, border police acknowledged the Entry Exit System technology "suffered from bugs"[1], though they maintained queues would diminish quickly.
Some passengers have reported missing connecting flights due to the delays[1]. Rome's Fiumicino airport has found it impractical to process large volumes of passengers using the self-service kiosks originally envisioned for the system[1].
Industry Response and Operational Impact
This week, Ryanair described the situation as "the failed EES rollout" and said it was "causing unnecessary delays and long queues"[1]. The airline advised UK passengers to "allow extra time for their journey and be prepared for extended waits at passport control"[1].
The European Commission stated that in most EU airports disruption is limited, and said it would "continue to support member states in the system's implementation" to "the fullest extent possible"[1].
The EES processes travellers using standalone automated machines, known as kiosks, and sometimes with border officers for specific cases such as children under 12[1]. The information collected is checked when passengers leave the Schengen area.
UK Company Register Context
The border disruption affects UK companies operating across multiple sectors tied to European travel. According to the CompanyPulse company register[2], there are currently 5,574,968 active companies registered in the UK across all sectors.
The register shows London hosts 1,038,689 active companies, with Manchester recording 100,614 and Birmingham 90,853[2]. These concentrations in major cities with international airports may indicate clusters of businesses particularly exposed to European travel disruption, though the figures represent economy-wide totals rather than sector-specific counts.
Across the entire UK register, 109,751 companies are currently in liquidation, with 4,804 in administration and 2,896 in voluntary arrangements[2]. These economy-wide insolvency figures provide context for the broader business environment in which travel and tourism operators are navigating the new border system challenges.
In the week ending 19 July 2026, 13,885 new companies were incorporated across all UK sectors[2]. Daily incorporation data shows typical weekday registrations ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 companies across the economy[2].
Forward-Looking Considerations
The timing of the EES disruption during peak summer travel season presents operational challenges for UK businesses with European exposure. Tour operators, travel agencies, and airlines must now factor extended border processing times into their scheduling and customer communications.
The system's technical difficulties - including non-functioning kiosks and software bugs - suggest implementation may continue to evolve over coming months. The European Commission's commitment to ongoing support for member states indicates authorities recognise the scale of the operational challenge.
For UK companies planning European operations or travel for staff, the Ryanair advisory to allow extra time represents a material change to cross-border logistics. The extent to which processing times improve as airport authorities refine their EES procedures will likely determine whether current disruption proves temporary or becomes a structural feature of post-Brexit travel administration.
