UK business travellers heading to Europe are being urged to prepare for significant disruption this autumn as the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is introduced, with early testing already producing queues of up to six hours at some airports.
The digital border scheme — which will replace passport stamping with biometric checks for all non‑EU nationals entering the Schengen Area — is scheduled to go live later this year. While designed to streamline travel in the long term, the transition period is expected to be challenging, particularly for frequent flyers travelling for work.
EES will require UK travellers to provide fingerprints and facial biometrics on their first trip after launch. Airports trialling the system have reported long processing times as passengers complete the new checks, raising concerns about how major hubs will cope once volumes increase.
For business travellers operating on tight schedules, the potential impact is significant. Longer queues at arrival, missed connections, and extended time at border control are all likely during the initial months. Industry bodies are warning companies to factor in additional travel time for employees and to review itineraries involving same‑day meetings or multi‑city European trips.
Travel platforms, including Booking.com for Business, have begun issuing guidance to customers, advising travellers to arrive earlier than usual, ensure passport details are up to date, and expect longer processing times at airports, ferry ports and international rail terminals. Carriers and airports are also preparing additional staff and signage to help manage the transition.
Despite the expected disruption, EES is intended to modernise Europe’s external borders, reduce manual checks and improve security. Once fully operational, the system should speed up repeat entries for UK travellers, who will be able to use automated gates after their initial biometric enrolment.
However, the short‑term reality is likely to be slower, not faster. With millions of British travellers entering the EU each year — many of them for business — the first weeks of EES will be a critical test of airport readiness.
For now, the advice for UK business travellers is simple: plan ahead, allow extra time, and expect queues as Europe adjusts to its biggest border‑control change in decades.
