If you're flying into or around Europe's Schengen area this autumn, brace for longer queues at passport control. From Sunday 6 September, the EU is retiring the temporary 'safety valve' that let border authorities skip fingerprint and facial scans at the Entry/Exit System (EES) when crossings got overwhelmed.
The EES became fully operational across participating borders on 10 April 2026, after a phased rollout that started in October 2025. All summer, member states could suspend biometric data collection at individual checkpoints when passenger volumes made waits unmanageable. That exemption now lapses, meaning airports and land borders will have to run full biometric checks even during peak surges.
The numbers explain why the travel industry is nervous. According to IATA, a routine passport check that used to take 20 to 25 seconds now takes roughly 90 seconds under EES. Data from the Financial Times and analytics firm Qsensor shows average waits at Frankfurt hit 120 minutes in July, double the 60 minutes a year earlier. Munich's waits rose from 31 to 60 minutes, and Amsterdam's maximum queues stretched from 80 to 120 minutes.
Industry bodies are lobbying hard for an extension. ABTA's Luke Petherbridge said his organisation continues pressing the European Commission to keep the flexibility measures available beyond September, noting the system isn't yet consistently operational across all participating countries. IATA has gone further: Thomas Reynaert, its SVP of external affairs, called an extension until the end of the winter season 'absolutely necessary', while insisting the association backs EES itself — provided kiosks, automated border controls and staffing are properly in place.
The European Commission is holding firm for now. At a 1 September briefing, a spokesperson said EES had 'broadly worked well' over the summer and claimed there's a 'strong joint will' to make it work everywhere, while acknowledging a few member states still need adjustments at certain crossing points.
What does this mean for your trip? Jurgen Himmelmann of Global Work & Travel advises building serious buffer time into any journey involving a European border. Arriving early helps, but only up to a point — bag-drop desks may not open four hours before departure, and there's no skipping a passport queue because your gate is closing. He particularly warns against booking tight connections for the next few weeks: a transfer that looks fine on paper can fall apart if you lose an hour at immigration.
In short: non-EU travellers should expect slower borders through autumn, pad their itineraries generously, and keep an eye on whether Brussels softens its stance as the winter season approaches.