New EU border system triples times to get through passport control for UK
Post-Brexit EU border controls have almost tripled the time it takes Britons to go through passport control despite the improvements, the boss of Rome’s main airport has said.
Under the entry-exit system (EES), people from “third national” non-EU countries such as the United Kingdom must have their fingerprints recorded and photographs taken upon entering the Schengen area.
Since the phase-in ended in April, airport bosses have complained about long queues and waiting times caused by the process.
Ivan Bassato, aviation chief at Rome Fiumicino Airport, said the time it took Britons to cross the border had increased from seven minutes to 20 minutes.
he said BBC: “We are not at the point where the process is of the same quality [as] Before EES.”
That’s despite the integration of self-service biometric “kiosks” with e-gates, which he said “improves things significantly.”
Mr Bassato added that he prided himself on the airport being technologically up-to-date, so waits of an hour or two were “absolutely unacceptable”.
“I think we urgently need to fix some aspects of the system.”
It comes after Wizz Air UK chief executive Yvonne Moynihan warned UK citizens to arrive at European airports three hours before their home-bound flights depart.
The budget airline advised passengers in May to prepare for long waits ahead of the Summer holidays.
“There may be queues when you land at the arrival airport, so you should bring a portable charger or water with you,” Ms Moynihan told the BBC.
While normally people are advised to arrive at the airport two hours before their flight, “under these circumstances, we recommend three hours,” he said.
While some airport bosses have called on the EU to scrap the EES system, France has conversely praised it.
The French Ministry of Internal Affairs announced Independent on friday He said the border control process had “already proven its value” since its launch on October 12, 2025.
A Home Office spokesman said: “More than 110 million entries and exits were recorded in the system and more than 44,000 denials of entry were reported, including more than 1,100 involving individuals who posed a threat to internal security.
“These figures show that the EES effectively protects European citizens on a daily basis.”
The spokesman added that France had not seen “any major congestion” at transport hubs as a result of the system.
