European travel bodies have urged the European Commission to let border authorities “stand down” the new Entry-Exit System (EES) when passenger queues become unmanageable. The call follows reports of two- to three-hour waits at airports in Spain, France and Italy during the soft-launch period. With full implementation due by 10 April, ACI Europe fears peak-summer queues of up to five hours unless flexibility is mandated. (theguardian.com)
For Germany, the warning is timely: Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf airports are about to move from 35 % to 100 % biometric enrolment of third-country travellers. The Federal Police confirm that 280 additional officers are being trained but concede staffing remains “tight”. Airlines such as Lufthansa and Condor have asked corporate clients to educate UK and US visitors about the one-time fingerprint/photo capture to avoid missed connections.
![German airports brace for queues as industry warns EU over biometric Entry-Exit System]()
Travel departments looking for a single, trusted reference as these rules evolve can turn to VisaHQ, whose Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) aggregates the latest EES guidance, Schengen visa requirements and airport-specific procedures. The service also offers end-to-end document handling, easing the burden on corporate mobility teams preparing staff for the upcoming changes.
Business-aviation terminals at Berlin and Stuttgart plan to deploy mobile EES kiosks, but handlers say they cannot exempt executive jets from the regulation. Mobility managers organising spring kick-offs should allow longer minimum-connection times or route travellers through airports with automated EasyPASS e-gates for Schengen transfers, where EES enrolment is done landside.
The Guardian reports that Eurostar and Eurotunnel facilities are still waiting for a French software patch to integrate kiosks—relevant for German firms routing staff via London. Should the Commission accept industry pleas, Germany could temporarily scale back checks during the Pentecost and summer peaks, but until Brussels decides, contingency planning is advisable.
For Germany, the warning is timely: Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf airports are about to move from 35 % to 100 % biometric enrolment of third-country travellers. The Federal Police confirm that 280 additional officers are being trained but concede staffing remains “tight”. Airlines such as Lufthansa and Condor have asked corporate clients to educate UK and US visitors about the one-time fingerprint/photo capture to avoid missed connections.
Travel departments looking for a single, trusted reference as these rules evolve can turn to VisaHQ, whose Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) aggregates the latest EES guidance, Schengen visa requirements and airport-specific procedures. The service also offers end-to-end document handling, easing the burden on corporate mobility teams preparing staff for the upcoming changes.
Business-aviation terminals at Berlin and Stuttgart plan to deploy mobile EES kiosks, but handlers say they cannot exempt executive jets from the regulation. Mobility managers organising spring kick-offs should allow longer minimum-connection times or route travellers through airports with automated EasyPASS e-gates for Schengen transfers, where EES enrolment is done landside.
The Guardian reports that Eurostar and Eurotunnel facilities are still waiting for a French software patch to integrate kiosks—relevant for German firms routing staff via London. Should the Commission accept industry pleas, Germany could temporarily scale back checks during the Pentecost and summer peaks, but until Brussels decides, contingency planning is advisable.
