Less than seven weeks before the EU’s Entry/Exit System becomes compulsory, three of Europe’s most influential aviation lobbies—ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe (A4E) and IATA—have asked Brussels to halt the roll-out until technical glitches and staffing shortfalls are fixed. In a letter revealed by Travel Weekly on 23 February, the groups cite “persistent excessive waiting times” when only 35 % of third-country nationals are being biometrically registered. They forecast queues “of four hours or more” in July and August if the current timetable holds.(travelweekly.co.uk)
Czech carriers Smartwings and CSA say the warnings mirror their own simulations at Prague and Brno airports, where peak-summer schedules include multiple wide-body charters from the UK, Israel and the Gulf. A four-hour inbound delay would ripple through aircraft rotations, potentially grounding crews in breach of duty-time limits and triggering EU261 compensation claims that dwarf razor-thin margin charter contracts.
![Aviation bodies call for ‘urgent review’ of EES before Easter; Czech carriers warn of four-hour queues]()
For travelers and companies looking to stay ahead of the evolving border-control requirements, VisaHQ offers a practical safety net. Its Czech Republic page (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) provides up-to-date guidance on visas, biometric prerequisites and pre-registration options, helping passengers navigate the new EES rules with less stress and fewer surprises.
The industry’s wish-list includes an emergency mechanism allowing member states to suspend full EES registration through 31 October, accelerated deployment of the Frontex pre-registration app, and EU funding for additional border-guard shifts. Prague Airport supports the moratorium but insists local preparations continue: 50 new manual booths are being installed and an awareness campaign urging travellers to “arrive early, remove hats and switch off Bluetooth” is already live on social media and in-terminal screens.
Business-travel managers should prepare staff for a best-case scenario of moderate delays and a worst-case scenario of rolling cancellations. Advisable steps include booking fully-refundable fares for meetings through May, prioritising rail itineraries for intra-EU hops, and auditing client contract penalties linked to late project start-ups. Frequent visitors to Czech manufacturing plants should also be coached on EES fingerprint collection protocols to avoid first-time rejection at the kiosk.
Czech carriers Smartwings and CSA say the warnings mirror their own simulations at Prague and Brno airports, where peak-summer schedules include multiple wide-body charters from the UK, Israel and the Gulf. A four-hour inbound delay would ripple through aircraft rotations, potentially grounding crews in breach of duty-time limits and triggering EU261 compensation claims that dwarf razor-thin margin charter contracts.
For travelers and companies looking to stay ahead of the evolving border-control requirements, VisaHQ offers a practical safety net. Its Czech Republic page (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) provides up-to-date guidance on visas, biometric prerequisites and pre-registration options, helping passengers navigate the new EES rules with less stress and fewer surprises.
The industry’s wish-list includes an emergency mechanism allowing member states to suspend full EES registration through 31 October, accelerated deployment of the Frontex pre-registration app, and EU funding for additional border-guard shifts. Prague Airport supports the moratorium but insists local preparations continue: 50 new manual booths are being installed and an awareness campaign urging travellers to “arrive early, remove hats and switch off Bluetooth” is already live on social media and in-terminal screens.
Business-travel managers should prepare staff for a best-case scenario of moderate delays and a worst-case scenario of rolling cancellations. Advisable steps include booking fully-refundable fares for meetings through May, prioritising rail itineraries for intra-EU hops, and auditing client contract penalties linked to late project start-ups. Frequent visitors to Czech manufacturing plants should also be coached on EES fingerprint collection protocols to avoid first-time rejection at the kiosk.
