David Newton and his family arrived three hours before their flight. They expected a smooth process but ended up stranded for nearly half a day in the departures area. They missed their flight after spending over five hours in queues for the EES checks.

Passengers are now required to provide fingerprints and a facial photo as part of EU regulations for non-EU nationals. David described the situation as “mayhem,” with thousands of travelers queuing at passport control.

Only around a third of the 15 booths were manned, which contributed to the lengthy delays. Furthermore, EES kiosks at major hubs in France are currently not operational due to technical issues.

Greek authorities have suspended biometric checks for British nationals amid increasing queues. ACI Europe has warned that travelers could face delays of up to three hours during peak travel periods.

Manual processing took about five minutes per person, exacerbating the situation. Several European countries have temporarily halted EES checks at airports because of long waiting times.

The European Commission stated that the EES system has been functioning well in most member states since its launch. However, officials have not confirmed how long the technical issues affecting kiosks will last.

David expressed frustration, saying, “It was shocking. I’ve never missed a flight in my life.” He added that he would likely choose to drive in the future due to the hassle involved with current travel processes.

The commission noted that suspension of biometric collection is permissible for limited periods under exceptional circumstances that could cause long waiting times.

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