Europe's airports and airlines have issued an urgent appeal to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, warning that the rollout of the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) has reached a "critical point" and is causing severe disruption for millions of travellers during the peak summer season.
In an open letter published on 1 July, aviation organisations ACI EUROPE, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged Brussels to allow Member States to temporarily suspend the digital border system whenever passenger volumes exceed operational capacity.
"Today we have reached a critical point," the organisations wrote. "The current implementation of the EES is creating severe operational consequences disrupting passengers and putting border authorities, airports and airlines under unsustainable pressure.
“We therefore urge your immediate intervention before the situation deteriorates further during the peak summer travel season.”
The EES became fully operational across the Schengen area in April 2026, replacing passport stamping for most non-EU travellers with a digital system that records entries and exits alongside biometric data, including fingerprints and facial images.
