Aeroporti di Roma chief Marco Troncone warned that the EU's new Entry-Exit System (EES) could trigger a “disaster” during peak summer travel unless border checks are suspended. The biometric screening requiring fingerprints and photos from non-EU visitors has already caused lengthy queues despite launching in mid-April.

Troncone rates his concern at eight or nine out of ten, citing incompatible processing volumes at Fiumicino and Ciampino airports. Automated booths frequently malfunction, forcing repeat checks even for passengers previously enrolled in the system. Airport association ACI Europe's Olivier Jankovec confirmed self-service kiosks “don’t work” properly, with queues reaching several hours.

Some Greek airports have already bypassed EES checks for UK citizens, while Istanbul Airport's Selahattin Bilgen reports similar bottlenecks affecting Turkish travelers. The European Commission maintains EES operates successfully across Schengen countries, blaming staff shortages and infrastructure constraints for delays rather than system failures.

With the summer surge looming, airport executives fear cascading flight delays across Europe. The Commission acknowledges flexibility exists in the rules to suspend biometric checks, leaving implementation decisions to member states facing mounting pressure from the travel sector.