Australians heading to Europe this year are being warned to brace for longer airport queues as the European Union rolls out new border rules from April 10.
The new Entry/Exit System (EES) will apply to travellers from outside the EU, including Australians, replacing passport stamping with a digital process.
Under the changes, Aussie visitors entering the Schengen zone for short stays will need to provide fingerprints, a facial scan and additional travel information on arrival.
While the system is designed to improve security and track overstays, early signs suggest it could slow things down at the border.
Airport and airline groups say processing times have already increased by up to 70 per cent during the rollout phase, with waits of up to two hours reported at busy times.
Airlines are warning conditions could worsen once the system is fully in place and European summer travel ramps up.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has flagged “significant disruption” at passport control, with reports of long queues and understaffed kiosks at some airports.
There have already been hiccups. Portugal temporarily suspended the system last year after major bottlenecks at Lisbon Airport, where wait times reportedly blew out to several hours.
From this week, however, countries will no longer be able to fully suspend the system, limiting their ability to ease congestion.
Industry groups are now calling for more flexibility, warning the changes could put serious pressure on border operations during peak travel periods.
For Australians planning a European trip, the message is simple: allow extra time at the airport and expect a slower arrival process, at least for now.
