The Times reports that EU member states may temporarily suspend the new Entry/Exit System (EES) during the peak summer travel season of 2026 to prevent four-hour queues witnessed during pilot roll-outs. The digital biometric regime, in force since October 2025, replaces passport stamps for non-EU travellers, including those entering Finland via Helsinki Airport.(thetimes.com)
Finavia, which operates Helsinki Airport, has warned airlines that first-time EES registration can take up to three minutes per passenger, threatening tight connection windows on Asia–Europe itineraries. A summer waiver would allow airports to revert to manual stamping between June and August, smoothing passenger flows as carriers up-gauge capacity for the Olympics traffic.(thetimes.com)
![Summer pause option for EU Entry/Exit System gives Helsinki Airport breathing space]()
For travellers and corporate mobility teams looking to stay ahead of the new requirements, VisaHQ’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides streamlined EES and ETIAS guidance, real-time document checking, and hands-on support, helping passengers avoid last-minute surprises at Helsinki and other Finnish airports.
Travel-management companies should prepare dual operating procedures: digital kiosks remain mandatory from September onward, so staff training and passenger communications cannot be delayed. Airlines flying into regional airports such as Turku and Rovaniemi must also install certified kiosks by year-end or risk penalties.
In parallel, the linked ETIAS travel-authorisation scheme has slipped to “late 2026,” giving businesses more time to integrate ETIAS checks into booking flows. Nevertheless, HR departments sending short-term contractors from visa-waiver countries (e.g., the UK, US, Japan) should budget €20 per traveller for ETIAS from next winter.
Finavia, which operates Helsinki Airport, has warned airlines that first-time EES registration can take up to three minutes per passenger, threatening tight connection windows on Asia–Europe itineraries. A summer waiver would allow airports to revert to manual stamping between June and August, smoothing passenger flows as carriers up-gauge capacity for the Olympics traffic.(thetimes.com)
For travellers and corporate mobility teams looking to stay ahead of the new requirements, VisaHQ’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides streamlined EES and ETIAS guidance, real-time document checking, and hands-on support, helping passengers avoid last-minute surprises at Helsinki and other Finnish airports.
Travel-management companies should prepare dual operating procedures: digital kiosks remain mandatory from September onward, so staff training and passenger communications cannot be delayed. Airlines flying into regional airports such as Turku and Rovaniemi must also install certified kiosks by year-end or risk penalties.
In parallel, the linked ETIAS travel-authorisation scheme has slipped to “late 2026,” giving businesses more time to integrate ETIAS checks into booking flows. Nevertheless, HR departments sending short-term contractors from visa-waiver countries (e.g., the UK, US, Japan) should budget €20 per traveller for ETIAS from next winter.
