Rome’s airports will have to suspend the EU’s new digital border system for non-EU citizens to avoid a “disaster” during the busy summer tourist season, according to the head of the airport company.
Marco Troncone said that letting passengers skip the biometric entry-exit system (EES) was the only way to prevent travel chaos this summer, following warnings from other European airport officials.
Under a new plan to control the EU’s borders, non-EU citizens—including Britons—must have their fingerprints and facial images taken the first time they enter the EU.
The system was first introduced last October and fully rolled out in mid-April after delays. EES has been held back by faulty technology, causing long queues for passengers even before the peak summer travel period, with some people missing flights.
“We are very worried for the summer,” Troncone, the chief executive of Aeroporti di Roma, which runs Fiumicino and the smaller Ciampino airport, told the Financial Times.
On a scale of one to ten, Troncone said his concern was now “eight or nine.” He added: “The process is not compatible with the peak volumes we’re going to face. So the only way is to open up the valve. There’s no way we can handle 100% of the enrollment.”
British travelers have faced huge delays in some countries, and French police temporarily suspended the extra checks at the port of Dover in May. Greece has dropped a previous promise to spare UK travelers from biometric checks until September.
Passengers who have already gone through EES—and should be able to skip the queues—are often forced to do the checks again.
Stefan Schulte, president of ACI Europe, a European airports trade body, told the BBC on Tuesday that individual EU governments, not airports, had to decide whether to suspend the system. He said politicians should “stop pretending … that EES is working just fine. It is not.”
In early May, the European Commission mentioned the “built-in flexibility” in the system that would allow some functions to be suspended.
The International Air Transport Association (Iata), an airline industry group, has said queueing times could reach six hours at some airports this summer, and that waits of up to three-and-a-half hours had already been recorded during peak periods.
“Two months in, [the system] is producing long lines, missed flights, and growing alarm across the travel industry,” Iata said last week.
Uku Säre kanno, the deputy executive director of the EU border agency Frontex, told an industry event in London this month that the situation might not “stabilise” for two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the situation regarding Romes airports and the new EU passport system written in a natural tone with clear answers
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q What is the new EU passport system that Romes airports are threatening to stop using
A Its called the EntryExit System Its a new automated system that will digitally register nonEU travelers when they enter or leave the Schengen Area replacing the old manual passport stamping
Q Why are Romes airports threatening to stop using it
A They say the system is not ready They are worried that if it launches as planned it will cause massive delays long queues and chaos at passport control ruining the summer travel season
Q What would happen if they actually stopped using it
A It would be a major breach of EU law The airports could face heavy fines or legal action from the Italian government or the EU In practice they would likely have to go back to manually stamping passports which is slower and defeats the purpose of the new system
Q When is this system supposed to start
A The EES was originally planned for 2022 but it has been delayed several times The current target is sometime in late 2024 or 2025 but Romes airports are pushing for a further delay
IntermediateLevel Questions
Q What is the main problem Romes airports are pointing out with the new system
A They claim the technical infrastructure isnt ready They say there arent enough automated gates the software isnt stable and the staff hasnt been properly trained They fear it will grind operations to a halt
Q Is this just a problem in Rome or are other EU airports also worried
A Its a widespread concern Several other major EU hubs like those in Paris Amsterdam and Frankfurt have also raised similar alarms about the EES readiness but Romes threat to refuse to use it is the most dramatic
Q How will the EES affect passengers
