Innsbruck Airport quietly became Austria’s third hub to activate the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) in the early hours of 21 November, airport management confirmed on 24 November. The move follows Vienna (live since 12 October) and Salzburg (since 12 November), completing Austria’s air-side roll-out well ahead of the EU-wide deadline in May 2026.
Under EES, every non-EU national arriving or departing on a short-stay Schengen visa has four fingerprints, a high-resolution facial image and passport data captured and stored for up to three years. First-time enrolment adds an estimated 30–60 seconds per passenger. Although minor in absolute terms, Innsbruck CEO Marco Pernetta warned that at weekend peaks—when up to 12,000 leisure travellers funnel through the compact terminal for Tyrol’s ski resorts—queue times could double.
![Innsbruck Switches On EU Entry/Exit System, Adding Biometrics for Third-Country Travellers]()
For mobility managers the advantages outweigh the inconvenience. Automated exit checks mean overstays are recorded automatically, eliminating the ‘passport stamp roulette’ that previously created liability risks for travellers on the Schengen 90/180-day rule. The electronic record also simplifies applications for Austria’s frequent-traveller programme and future Registered Traveller options being discussed at EU level.
Practical tips: Airlines have been instructed to add a 10-minute buffer to boarding deadlines for flights with large non-EU contingents. Companies should remind employees that fingerprints are taken again if a traveller’s last exit was more than three years ago. Frequent UK business visitors—who accounted for 14 % of Innsbruck’s non-EU arrivals last winter—are advised to enrol early in the season to avoid Christmas bottlenecks.
With the three main airports live, Austria will now focus on equipping land borders by Q4 2026. Initial pilots on the Brenner corridor are expected after the summer tourist rush.
Under EES, every non-EU national arriving or departing on a short-stay Schengen visa has four fingerprints, a high-resolution facial image and passport data captured and stored for up to three years. First-time enrolment adds an estimated 30–60 seconds per passenger. Although minor in absolute terms, Innsbruck CEO Marco Pernetta warned that at weekend peaks—when up to 12,000 leisure travellers funnel through the compact terminal for Tyrol’s ski resorts—queue times could double.
For mobility managers the advantages outweigh the inconvenience. Automated exit checks mean overstays are recorded automatically, eliminating the ‘passport stamp roulette’ that previously created liability risks for travellers on the Schengen 90/180-day rule. The electronic record also simplifies applications for Austria’s frequent-traveller programme and future Registered Traveller options being discussed at EU level.
Practical tips: Airlines have been instructed to add a 10-minute buffer to boarding deadlines for flights with large non-EU contingents. Companies should remind employees that fingerprints are taken again if a traveller’s last exit was more than three years ago. Frequent UK business visitors—who accounted for 14 % of Innsbruck’s non-EU arrivals last winter—are advised to enrol early in the season to avoid Christmas bottlenecks.
With the three main airports live, Austria will now focus on equipping land borders by Q4 2026. Initial pilots on the Brenner corridor are expected after the summer tourist rush.
