Airports Council International (ACI EUROPE), Airlines for Europe (A4E), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) jointly called on the European Commission to allow Schengen member states to partially or totally suspend the Entry/Exit System (EES) until the end of October 2026, warning that without immediate flexibility, peak summer travel could see queues of up to four hours or more. In a letter to EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, the groups cited persistent excessive waiting times of up to two hours at border control, even under the current progressive rollout where only 35% of third-country nationals must be registered. They identified three compounding issues: chronic understaffing, unresolved technology problems with border automation, and limited uptake of Frontex's pre-registration app by Schengen states.
This follows earlier warnings from the same groups in April 2026, when the EES's full rollout caused widespread disruption, with airports reporting 2–3 hour waits and flight delays. At that time, ACI EUROPE and A4E urged immediate flexibility, arguing that border authorities should be allowed to suspend EES temporarily when waits grow excessive. The European Commission had previously defended the system's operation, with Commissioner Brunner stating in April that the EES would be fully functional by mid-April 2026, while acknowledging concerns about summer travel rush and airline complaints about delays.
The aviation bodies now stress that under Regulation 2025/1534, the suspension mechanisms will no longer be available beyond early July, and it remains unclear whether such suspensions could still be activated under the Schengen Border Control Code. They argue that the EU institutions' perception that EES is working well is disconnected from the reality of massive delays and inconvenience for non-EU travellers. The call for extended suspension powers aims to safeguard the EU's reputation as an efficient and welcoming destination, especially as traffic at Europe's airports doubles during peak summer months.