Only six weeks after Spain began live trials of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), the country’s two busiest holiday gateways for British travellers are already buckling under the pressure. On 24 November, Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport became the epicentre of traveller frustration as rows of biometric self-service kiosks were taped up, switched off or flashing red error lights. Border police reverted to manual passport stamping while queues for non-EU nationals, including British residents holding Spanish TIE cards, stretched well beyond the immigration hall and up the terminal stairs. Several passengers missed their flights after waiting more than two hours in line.
The problems mirror scenes reported the same morning at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, where the trial EES kiosks were likewise powered down outside limited test windows. Airport operator Aena insisted the disruption is part of a “normal adjustment period” during the six-month pilot that runs until full enforcement on 10 April 2026, but ground-handling agents warn that winter peaks could turn sporadic chaos into daily gridlock if software glitches and staff training gaps are not fixed quickly.
![Biometric EES kiosks create two-hour queues at Málaga-Costa del Sol and Alicante-Elche airports]()
Under EES, every third-country short-stay visitor must provide four fingerprints and a facial image the first time they enter the Schengen Area. Repeat visits should then be faster, but the initial enrolment can take up to three minutes per traveller—far longer than a manual passport stamp. According to police unions, Málaga currently has capacity for roughly 450 enrolments per hour against an average arrival volume of 1,200 passengers. Poor signage is compounding the bottlenecks, with even residency-card holders sent to the slowest lanes.
For multinational companies the immediate risk is missed onward connections, lost productivity and higher duty-of-care exposure. Airlines serving the Costa del Sol have begun advising corporate clients to arrive at least three hours before departure, while several travel-management companies are updating traveller alerts to flag potential EES delays at all Spanish airports. Employers with staff who hold Spanish TIE cards are being urged to brief travellers to carry proof of residency and to seek out the EU/EEA queue where possible—though inconsistent enforcement means success is not guaranteed.
Practical tips emerging from the first month of trials include: travelling with hand luggage only to speed up post-security re-routing if flights are missed; using live-queue apps to pick the fastest checkpoint; and allowing extra connection time between domestic and Schengen-external flights. Until biometric kiosks run reliably 24/7 and frontline staff are fully trained, Spain’s showcase of frictionless borders risks becoming a cautionary tale for the rest of Europe.
The problems mirror scenes reported the same morning at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, where the trial EES kiosks were likewise powered down outside limited test windows. Airport operator Aena insisted the disruption is part of a “normal adjustment period” during the six-month pilot that runs until full enforcement on 10 April 2026, but ground-handling agents warn that winter peaks could turn sporadic chaos into daily gridlock if software glitches and staff training gaps are not fixed quickly.
Under EES, every third-country short-stay visitor must provide four fingerprints and a facial image the first time they enter the Schengen Area. Repeat visits should then be faster, but the initial enrolment can take up to three minutes per traveller—far longer than a manual passport stamp. According to police unions, Málaga currently has capacity for roughly 450 enrolments per hour against an average arrival volume of 1,200 passengers. Poor signage is compounding the bottlenecks, with even residency-card holders sent to the slowest lanes.
For multinational companies the immediate risk is missed onward connections, lost productivity and higher duty-of-care exposure. Airlines serving the Costa del Sol have begun advising corporate clients to arrive at least three hours before departure, while several travel-management companies are updating traveller alerts to flag potential EES delays at all Spanish airports. Employers with staff who hold Spanish TIE cards are being urged to brief travellers to carry proof of residency and to seek out the EU/EEA queue where possible—though inconsistent enforcement means success is not guaranteed.
Practical tips emerging from the first month of trials include: travelling with hand luggage only to speed up post-security re-routing if flights are missed; using live-queue apps to pick the fastest checkpoint; and allowing extra connection time between domestic and Schengen-external flights. Until biometric kiosks run reliably 24/7 and frontline staff are fully trained, Spain’s showcase of frictionless borders risks becoming a cautionary tale for the rest of Europe.
