Major airline and airport industry groups have warned Ursula von der Leyen that chaotic new EU border checks are causing flights to depart half empty while passengers remain stranded in queues lasting up to 5 hours. ACI Europe, Airlines 4 Europe, and Iata sent a joint letter highlighting the severe disruption to European air travel operations.

The EU entry-exit system requires non-EU citizens to provide fingerprints and photographs at airports, but technical problems with automated booths have created bottlenecks. Passengers queue outdoors on exposed aprons because border control facilities cannot process arrivals quickly enough, leaving airlines no choice but to leave passengers behind.

Industry groups are demanding the ability to suspend checks entirely whenever passenger volumes exceed border control capacity during July and August. They warn that 40 million additional summer travelers will create a 'significant worsening' of current conditions. The letter represents the strongest industry warning yet, coming weeks before peak holiday season.

A European Commission spokesperson recently claimed the system 'works well' and blamed staff shortages and infrastructure limitations rather than the EES itself. However, the industry argues that Europe's reputation and tourism sector are at stake unless immediate flexibility is granted to prevent further operational chaos.