British tour operators, airlines and rail companies sounded the alarm on 5 February after fresh data showed queues of up to three hours at several Schengen airports during the ‘soft-launch’ of the EU’s new Entry-Exit System (EES). The biometric programme, which will replace passport stamping with compulsory fingerprint and facial-image capture for all “third-country” visitors, is due to become fully mandatory from 10 April 2026. Because UK nationals are now treated as third-country travellers, the changes will hit Britain harder than any other single market in Europe.
Trade body Airports Council International Europe told The Guardian that only 35 per cent of passengers are currently being registered, yet some airports in Spain, France, Portugal and Italy are already struggling with two-hour queues. If the system scales to 100 per cent during the July-August peak, ACI projects five-hour lines and missed connections. Abta, the UK’s largest outbound-travel association, has written to the European Commission asking it to authorise a temporary suspension of the rules or to fund extra border-guard staffing.
For travellers and travel companies looking for practical assistance in navigating the shifting documentation landscape, specialist agencies such as VisaHQ can streamline the process. The firm’s UK platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) offers up-to-date guidance on Schengen requirements, biometric enrolment tips and expedited visa procurement, easing administrative burdens for both individuals and corporate travel planners.
![UK travel industry warns of summer chaos as EU biometric border checks ramp up]()
The situation is equally delicate at juxtaposed controls on British soil. Eurotunnel has begun registering coach drivers but is waiting for France to switch on kiosks for tourist vehicles. Eurostar has installed 49 EES kiosks at London St Pancras but, pending French software certification, officers are processing passengers manually—threatening longer dwell times and reduced train frequencies.
For UK firms the practical stakes are high. Business travellers face potential meeting delays, airlines risk schedule knock-on effects, and leisure operators fear a last-minute slump in summer bookings if negative headlines persist. Industry lobbyists want Brussels to issue a clear contingency plan—either capping daily registrations or extending the current flexibility window until after the 2026 holiday season. Without it, they warn, Britain’s outbound sector could suffer its most serious operational shock since the post-pandemic reopening.
Travel managers are advising clients to allow extra connection time, pre-fill digital forms where available, and keep proof of onward tickets handy. If the EU does not relent, larger corporates may shift meetings to non-Schengen hubs such as Dublin or Istanbul to avoid biometric bottlenecks.
Trade body Airports Council International Europe told The Guardian that only 35 per cent of passengers are currently being registered, yet some airports in Spain, France, Portugal and Italy are already struggling with two-hour queues. If the system scales to 100 per cent during the July-August peak, ACI projects five-hour lines and missed connections. Abta, the UK’s largest outbound-travel association, has written to the European Commission asking it to authorise a temporary suspension of the rules or to fund extra border-guard staffing.
For travellers and travel companies looking for practical assistance in navigating the shifting documentation landscape, specialist agencies such as VisaHQ can streamline the process. The firm’s UK platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) offers up-to-date guidance on Schengen requirements, biometric enrolment tips and expedited visa procurement, easing administrative burdens for both individuals and corporate travel planners.
The situation is equally delicate at juxtaposed controls on British soil. Eurotunnel has begun registering coach drivers but is waiting for France to switch on kiosks for tourist vehicles. Eurostar has installed 49 EES kiosks at London St Pancras but, pending French software certification, officers are processing passengers manually—threatening longer dwell times and reduced train frequencies.
For UK firms the practical stakes are high. Business travellers face potential meeting delays, airlines risk schedule knock-on effects, and leisure operators fear a last-minute slump in summer bookings if negative headlines persist. Industry lobbyists want Brussels to issue a clear contingency plan—either capping daily registrations or extending the current flexibility window until after the 2026 holiday season. Without it, they warn, Britain’s outbound sector could suffer its most serious operational shock since the post-pandemic reopening.
Travel managers are advising clients to allow extra connection time, pre-fill digital forms where available, and keep proof of onward tickets handy. If the EU does not relent, larger corporates may shift meetings to non-Schengen hubs such as Dublin or Istanbul to avoid biometric bottlenecks.
