---
title: "New EES System Paralyzes EU Airports: Queues Up to 2 Hours During Peak Season"
description: "✈️ EU Airports in Chaos: New EES System Causes Queues Up to 2 Hours! 📉 Waiting times doubled in Frankfurt and Amsterdam. 👉 Biometrics (fingerprints and photos) are slowing down the process. 🗣️ European Commission: \"Only 70 seconds for screening\". 🛑 Airlines: \"It's a disaster, passengers are standing for hours\". #EES #AviationNews #Travel2026 #XABinfo"
date: 2026-08-12T05:30:05.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/new-ees-system-paralyzes-eu-airports-queues-2-hours-peak-season
tags: [ees-system, european-union, aviation, travel-delays, biometrics]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# New EES System Paralyzes EU Airports: Queues Up to 2 Hours During Peak Season

![Aircraft from LOT, SkyLine, and Plus Ultra airlines parked at the airport, illustrating delays and queues due to the implementation of the EES system](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/12/ees-system-causes-airport-delays-europe-2026/ees-system-causes-airport-delays-europe-2026-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Waiting times in EU airports have risen to 120 minutes due to the EES system.
- Frankfurt and Amsterdam showed a twofold increase in delays compared to last year.
- The European Commission claims the procedure takes 70 seconds, while airlines call this a mistake.
- The introduction of biometrics became the cause of congestion during the peak tourist season.

In August 2026, at the height of the summer tourist season, European airports faced an unprecedented logistics crisis. The cause was glitches and delays triggered by the new European Union Entry/Exit System (EES). Passengers arriving from non-EU countries were forced to wait in queues for hours to clear border control.

### Crisis in Hubs: Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Munich

The situation is most acute in the continent's key transit hubs. According to monitoring data from July 2026, peak waiting times at Frankfurt and Amsterdam airports reached a critical mark of 120 minutes. For comparison, these figures were significantly lower last year: in Frankfurt, waiting times doubled from 60 to 120 minutes. In Munich, delays rose from 31 to 60 minutes, and in Amsterdam, from 80 to 120 minutes. This creates a serious threat to connections and airline schedules.

### Technology vs. Reality: How EES Works

The EES was introduced to automate the registration of travelers from non-EU countries. Upon first crossing the external border, the system records personal data, takes a facial photo, and scans fingerprints. It is these additional biometric procedures that have become the "bottleneck." Although the technology promised to speed up processes, in practice, the complexity of collecting biometrics amidst high passenger volumes led to the opposite effect.

### Contradictory Data

There is a clear gap between official statistics and reality on the ground. Representatives of the European Commission state that registration in the EES takes an average of about 70 seconds and does not create significant additional problems for most travelers. However, airlines such as British Airways and easyJet refute this view, pointing out that in certain airports, the new rules have already led to significant passenger congestion and chaos in terminals.

### Industry Warnings and Calls to Action

Representatives of the tourism industry warned even before the system's launch that new procedures could cause significant delays. Now, airlines are urging airport operators to organize the screening process more efficiently. British and European carriers insist that passengers should not be forced to stand in queues for hours due to bureaucratic innovations, which undermines confidence in air travel in the region.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What is the EES system?
**A:** EES (Entry/Exit System) is an electronic registration system for travelers from non-EU countries that records biometric data (photos and fingerprints).

### Q: How long does border control take?
**A:** Officially, the European Commission states it takes 70 seconds, but in practice, queues reach 2 hours during peak times.

### Q: Which airports were affected the most?
**A:** The greatest delays were recorded in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Munich.