Ireland breaking news readers planning trips to Europe this summer may want to leave for the airport earlier than usual. A new EU border control process is causing major delays for non-EU passengers, with British travellers among those facing much longer waits at passport control in some of the continent’s busiest airports.
The disruption is linked to the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES), a digital border scheme that collects fingerprints and a facial image from non-EU travellers entering the Schengen area. While officials say the system is improving and disruption remains limited in many places, airport operators and passengers are still reporting queues stretching from 30 minutes to well over an hour.
EU Border Delays Raise Fresh Travel Concerns
The new checks have become a growing issue across popular holiday hubs, particularly during peak summer travel. In Rome, one senior airport executive said processing times for British passengers have nearly tripled despite recent improvements.
Before the new system, the average border crossing took around seven minutes. Now, the same process can take close to 20 minutes, even after updates were introduced to make the system smoother.
That matters because at busy airports, even small increases per passenger can quickly create long queues. For families, cruise passengers, and travellers on tight schedules, the delays are already having real consequences.
- Some passengers reported waiting up to two hours after landing
- Others said they missed drivers or onward transport
- Machine faults and slow processing added to congestion
- Children often require manual checks with border officers
For audiences searching latest Irish news and live updates Ireland, this story is especially relevant because thousands of Irish-based travellers use these same European airports for holidays, business trips, and connecting flights.
Rome Airport Says System Still Needs Urgent Fixes
At Rome Fiumicino, airport officials say the introduction of EES has improved somewhat after biometric registration was integrated into e-gates for some passengers. However, they argue the process is still too slow and too complicated.
The airport had invested heavily in self-service kiosks, but large-scale use of those machines has reportedly proved impractical. UK travellers can now complete part of the process at e-gates, though younger children still need to be processed by a border officer.
Airport management says the current setup does not yet deliver the same level of service passengers experienced before EES. Officials are calling for urgent changes, including reducing duplicated steps and expanding use of pre-registration tools before travellers even arrive at the airport.
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Portugal Reports Bugs but Expects Queues to Ease
In Faro, another major gateway for summer tourists, border police acknowledged that the EES rollout has experienced technical bugs. According to local officials, a queue that once took 10 minutes can now stretch beyond 30 minutes in certain conditions.
Authorities there said longer waits are still relatively uncommon, but acknowledged that problems can arise when several flights land at once or when the underlying IT network suffers a fault. Because the system is interconnected across multiple countries, an issue elsewhere in Europe can affect border processing in Portugal too.
Officials also said server crashes have happened across several member states at the same time, though they believe those incidents are becoming less frequent. Additional staff have been recruited to support the rollout.
This kind of operational disruption may not dominate Cork news today or Galway breaking news bulletins every day, but it is highly relevant for Irish holidaymakers tracking airport delays, travel planning, and broader Irish transport news.
What Travellers Should Know Before Flying
Anyone travelling from the UK or other non-EU countries into the Schengen area should expect extra time at arrival and departure points while the new border process beds in.
Key travel tips
- Arrive earlier than usual for flights to and from Europe
- Prepare for biometric checks including fingerprints and a photo
- Allow extra time if travelling with children
- Keep an eye on airline alerts and airport guidance
- Be flexible with transfers, pickups, and onward journeys
Although this is not directly tied to Irish weather warning, storm updates Ireland, or road closures Dublin, it fits into the wider travel picture many readers follow alongside Garda news today and other transport updates.
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Why This Matters for Irish Travellers
For people following Ireland breaking news, the biggest takeaway is simple: European airport processing is changing, and delays are likely to remain part of the travel experience for now. Even where systems are improving, airport operators are clear that the process is not yet working as efficiently as intended.
As summer travel volumes remain high, Irish passengers heading to popular destinations like Rome, Faro, and Barcelona should factor in longer waits and possible knock-on disruption. In short, Ireland breaking news readers should treat this as an essential travel warning: leave extra time, expect biometric checks, and prepare for queues until the EU border system becomes more reliable.
