EES in the Summer Peak: Why are Longer Airport Border Controls Expected in Europe?
One of the most significant practical risks of the European summer travel season is currently not a new route or a change in fares, but the pace of border control. The management of the company operating the Rome Fiumicino and Ciampino airports warned this week that the Schengen area's new digital entry and exit system, the EES, can only be kept at a manageable level during the peak summer traffic with a flexible application. This signal is also important for Hungarian travelers, as the problem is not exclusively about Rome: industry organizations have been requesting for months that member states be able to react quickly to excessively long queues during peak periods.
The EES, or Entry/Exit System, digitally records the short-term entry and exit of non-EU citizens into the Schengen area. The system aims to replace traditional passport stamping, more accurately track the 90/180-day stay rule, and strengthen the control of external borders. From the perspective of the everyday traveler, however, the essence is simpler: for some passengers, photos, fingerprints, and passport data may be recorded, which can take more time, especially during the first registration.
What happened now?
According to recent news, Rome's two major airports, Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino and Ciampino, fear that full biometric registration during the summer peak could cause too much congestion. The CEO of Aeroporti di Roma, the company operating the airports, stated to the Financial Times that if traffic rises to usual summer levels, the process may not be possible for every passenger without serious delays. According to a June 25 report by The Guardian, management sees the temporary suspension or relaxation of the EES as one of the tools to avoid overload.
It is important to note that an airport alone cannot decide on the rules of Schengen border control. Border control practices are determined by member state authorities and EU frameworks. Therefore, the warning from Rome does not mean that passengers will certainly be exempt from the EES, but rather that pressure on authorities may increase during the summer season: there must be enough staff, kiosks and e-gates must function, and there must be a clear protocol for when the process should be temporarily simplified.
Why does this affect Hungarian travelers?
As a Hungarian citizen, the EES will not be the main issue for most internal Schengen travel, as the system applies to the entry of non-EU citizens across the Schengen external border. Still, there is an indirect effect on Hungarian passengers. If long queues form at entry or exit at a major European airport, it can delay connecting passengers, hold back aircraft, slow down ground processes, and make connections more uncertain.
This is particularly important if someone travels from Budapest or Vienna through a major Schengen hub to the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Turkey, the Middle East, or other non-Schengen destinations. The congestion caused by the EES does not necessarily appear at the Hungarian passenger's own passport control, but in the overall operation of the airport: at gates, transfer corridors, boarding, and flight departures.
Those departing from Budapest Airport should continue to follow airline recommendations, expected security check times, and flight status. For longer transfers, it can be particularly useful to check the Budapest Airport live flight information before departure, and then the official information of the transfer airport. For those departing from Vienna, the same applies to Vienna Airport and VIE live flight information.
Where is the risk highest?
Based on industry signals so far, the risk is not uniform. High-traffic tourist airports, gates receiving large numbers of British and other non-EU passengers, and smaller stations operating with less flexible infrastructure may be more vulnerable. Previous communications from ACI Europe and Airlines for Europe as early as spring spoke of 2-3 hour waits and delayed flights at some airports during the first days of full operation. IATA's June European media briefing mentioned Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Belgium as examples of countries where delays and missed connections were still seen.
Rome has come into the spotlight now because Fiumicino Airport and Ciampino Airport are important gateways for summer Mediterranean tourism. For Hungarian travelers, Rome can be not only a city visit destination but also a transfer point toward southern Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, or further routes. If the border process slows down, short connections can become riskier, especially if the route consists of separate tickets or if the passenger has to re-check their luggage.
Similar considerations apply to other popular airports. For Greek holidays, Athens Airport, for Portuguese trips, Lisbon Airport, and for Spanish city visits, Madrid and Barcelona Airport may be points where seasonal traffic and border processes reinforce each other. This does not mean that every trip to these places will be problematic, but that allowing more buffer time than usual is now a sensible decision.
What exactly is the EES?
According to official European Union information, the EES records the short stays of non-EU citizens crossing the Schengen external border. This may include visa-free travelers and those arriving with a short-term visa. The system can handle the date and place of entry and exit, passport data, and biometric data. The goal is to make border control more accurate, reduce the risk of overstaying, and make automated checks faster in the long run.
However, short-term benefits can only be felt if technology, staff, and passenger management work together. The first registration can be more time-consuming for every new passenger. If many passengers who are not yet in the system arrive at an airport at once, the queue can quickly swell. The problem is not digitalization itself, but the transition period: in the summer months, a huge number of tourists arrive in Europe, while airports must simultaneously maintain security, data collection, and flight schedule punctuality.
How should travel be planned now?
The most important advice is not to automatically treat transfer times that previously seemed sufficient as safe. A 45-60 minute connection at a large airport in summer is already tight, and with EES congestion, it can be even riskier. If the booking system offers multiple options, it is worth choosing a route that allows at least 90-120 minutes of transfer time, does not force a terminal change, and handles the entire journey on one ticket.
- Check the flight before departure: look at the live information from the airline and airport, especially during morning and evening peak times.
- Avoid too short separate-ticket transfers: if the journey consists of two separate bookings, there may be less protection in case of a delay.
- Allow more time for non-Schengen directions: border processes come into play more often for routes toward the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, North America, and the Middle East.
- Pay attention to luggage: if the bag must be collected and re-checked, border control delays can easily jeopardize the connection.
- Have a Plan B: especially for family vacations, cruise departures, or pre-paid programs, it is important to know what happens in case of a delay.
Those departing only from Budapest to a direct Schengen city will feel the direct impact of the EES less. However, those traveling through large airports, traveling with a family member with a non-EU passport, or heading to a destination involving an external border crossing, should prioritize schedule buffer time now.
What can airports and authorities do?
Industry organization requests focus on three main points. First, enough border guards and support staff are needed during peak periods. Airport traffic is predictable in advance, so staffing schedules are a key issue. Second, functioning automatons, kiosks, and e-gates are needed, because if passengers get stuck at self-service points, the digital system produces the opposite effect: it does not speed up, but creates a bottleneck. Third, clear thresholds are needed, based on which authorities can simplify or suspend certain elements before queues become unmanageable.
This debate is not about Europe giving up on modern border control. Rather, it is about aligning security and data management goals with the passenger experience and the realities of the tourism season. If the system works well, crossing the external border can be more predictable and faster in the long run. However, if the implementation falters during the busiest weeks, the cost will be felt by passengers, airlines, airports, and tourism providers.
What is the conclusion for the summer?
The late June warning from Rome is not panic news, but a useful early signal. Hungarian travelers do not need to cancel their summer European trips because of this, but it is worth handling airport time planning more conservatively. Those traveling through a major Schengen gateway should choose longer transfers, monitor live flight information, and not leave the airport arrival until the last moment.
The tension surrounding the EES shows that in the summer of 2026, one of the most important questions of travel will not only be how much the flight ticket costs or how full the accommodation is, but also how flexibly Europe's external border operates. Those who incorporate this into their itinerary are less likely to end up in an unpleasant situation and can more securely preserve the most important element of a vacation: time.