The Airports Most Exposed to EES Delays Once the New EU System Starts

The European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) is due to start on 12 October, and aviation economist Oliver Ranson has warned that it could cause significant disruption at some of the continent's airports. The scheme requires non-Schengen travellers, including Britons, to provide biometric data on first crossing, a step that could potentially quadruple processing times at border checkpoints during the busiest periods.

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Why some airports are more exposed

Not every airport faces the same risk. According to Ranson's analysis, the vulnerability of a hub depends largely on how its non-Schengen arrivals are spread across the day. Airports where such flights land in a steady, evenly spread stream are the most exposed, because there is little respite for border staff to clear a building queue. By contrast, airports with clustered or wave-like arrival patterns, such as Palermo, are considered less vulnerable, as the gaps between waves allow queues to dissipate.

The three airports to watch

Ranson identified Athens, Bucharest and Milan Malpensa as the three European airports most at risk of passenger gridlock, precisely because their non-Schengen arrivals are spread so evenly throughout the day. If queues at such hubs do not clear, he warns, the knock-on effects could extend to flights being diverted or even cancelled, hitting both arriving and departing passengers.

For travellers, the practical takeaways are simple: allow extra time when transiting these airports in the early weeks of the system, keep connections generous, and travel at quieter times of day where possible. To understand how the new biometric checks work and how they relate to ETIAS, read our plain-English overview of EES and ETIAS.