Ryanair Names Airports with Long Queues for EU Border Checks

By the Editorial Team · Friday, July 3, 2026

Ryanair has reported extensive passenger delays at seven European airports caused by the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires biometric checks for travelers from non-EU countries entering the Schengen zone. The airline warns that inadequate staffing and system issues risk long queues and missed flights during peak summer travel, urging governments to delay full EES implementation and travelers to allow extra time.

Ryanair has highlighted seven European airports experiencing significant passenger delays due to the implementation of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which mandates biometric checks for travelers from third countries, including the United Kingdom, entering the Schengen area. The affected airports include Tenerife South, Palma, Alicante, and Malaga in Spain; Milan Bergamo in Italy; Krakow in Poland; and Paris Beauvais in France.

The airline attributes the disruptions to insufficient staffing, limited kiosk availability, and incomplete system readiness, warning that these airports are unprepared to handle peak summer passenger volumes. Ryanair has urged travelers between Schengen and non-Schengen destinations to arrive earlier than usual to account for potentially lengthy passport control queues.

EES, which became fully operational in April, requires non-EU nationals to have their fingerprints registered and photographs taken upon entry and exit from the Schengen zone, comprising 29 mostly EU member states. For British travelers, these biometric procedures take place primarily at foreign airports, as well as at UK locations including the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel’s Folkestone terminal, and London St Pancras railway station.

Neal McMahon, Ryanair’s chief operations officer, criticized the current state of the system, calling it “not ready for peak summer volumes” and urging EU governments to delay the full implementation of EES until September. He noted that other member states, such as Greece, have already postponed the rollout. McMahon cautioned that passengers risk “long queues, missed flights and unnecessary stress,” describing the current situation as relying on travelers as “guinea pigs” for a system that remains underdeveloped.

The Port of Dover, a critical entry point to the UK, has also issued warnings about ongoing congestion problems linked to EES. Doug Bannister, chief executive of the port, forecast repeated severe delays throughout the summer without modifications to the system’s operation. He warned that queues of vehicles could extend miles onto public roads, posing significant local disruption. Bannister revealed that despite a £40 million investment in a dedicated facility designed to process passengers more efficiently, the system remains hampered by the malfunctioning EES kiosk technology, a problem beyond the port’s control.

During the UK’s May school holiday period, the Port of Dover declared a “critical incident” after wait times for travelers reached four-and-a-half hours amid a daily volume of approximately 8,500 tourist vehicles. Bannister noted that traffic levels are expected to increase to over 12,000 vehicles per day in the coming weeks.

The issue has drawn attention from UK lawmakers. Liam Byrne, chair of the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee (BTC), emphasized the risk of ongoing chaos and questioned what measures the government would take to prevent severe disruption. Business Secretary Peter Kyle responded by stating that the Department of Transport is actively engaged with EU partners, aiming to ensure that worst-case scenarios do not materialize through continued coordination and negotiations.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.