Ryanair Blames Passport Kiosk Failures as EU Entry/Exit System Flexibility Ends

# What happened Ryanair has publicly criticized malfunctioning passport kiosks and inadequate staffing at several European airports after temporary easing of enforcement for the European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES) ended in early September. The airline says this combination contributed to lengthy border-control lines and travelers missing flights during the summer.

# How the Entry/Exit System works EES is a biometric system that digitally records the arrival and departure of non-EU travelers staying in the Schengen Area for short visits. Instead of a traditional passport stamp, passengers with biometric passports use self-service kiosks to scan their travel documents and provide fingerprints and a facial image. The system is designed to create a digital record that tracks entry and exit dates.

# Ryanair's complaints and requests Ryanair has pointed to specific operational problems: kiosks that malfunction, insufficient staffing levels at border-control points, and other technical issues. The carrier has urged European authorities to extend the temporary flexibility period — during which countries could suspend or scale back biometric checks if queues became unmanageable — until April 2027, warning that otherwise travelers could face renewed delays and missed flights.

# Reported operational impacts Airports in Spain, Italy, Poland and France were named as locations where delays and staffing shortages have been acute. Some airports reported waits lasting several hours during the summer months. The EES checks themselves increase the time required for processing arrivals compared with the prior stamp-based routine because biometric capture and verification add steps.

# EU position European officials argue the EES strengthens border security and makes it easier to identify travelers who overstay their permitted visits. From the EU perspective, a centralized, biometric entry/exit record is a security enhancement despite short-term implementation and operational challenges reported at certain airports.

# Recent timeline

# Practical implications for travelers and airports

• Travelers: People entering the Schengen Area with biometric passports should expect biometric processing at kiosks and potentially longer border waits at some airports until operational kinks are resolved or staffing is increased.
• Airports: Facilities experiencing kiosk malfunctions or staff shortages may need to deploy contingency measures such as additional personnel, manual processing options where permitted, or technical fixes to kiosk hardware and software.

# What's next