British Tourists’ Summer Travel Slowed by EU Entry‑Exit System Delays

British tourists encountering delays under the EU’s new Entry‑Exit System (EES) are seeing summer travel flows slow sharply.

EES Rollout Triggers Border Delays Across Key Corridors

British tourists encountering delays under the EU’s new Entry‑Exit System (EES) are seeing summer travel flows slow sharply. France’s automated kiosks are suffering technical glitches, Greece has opted out of extra biometric checks for UK nationals, and congestion is building on key routes such as London–Paris and Amsterdam–Brussels.

■London–Paris corridor: average wait times now exceed 2 hours

■Amsterdam–Brussels corridor: passport control queues stretch to 90 minutes

■Greece: UK visitors exempt from additional biometric checks, prompting a projected 12 % rise in arrivals

France’s Kiosk Glitches and Greece’s Lenient Stance

France reported that roughly 30 % of its 120 border kiosks experienced faults during peak holiday periods, forcing officers to fall back on manual checks. Greece, meanwhile, announced it will not impose the extra EES biometric regime on UK tourists, hoping to capture a larger share of the summer market.

■France: 30 % kiosk failure rate reported at peak times

■Greece: expected +12 % inbound UK tourism

■Italy’s Venice airport EES gates remain in trial phase, limiting throughput

Market Impact and Travel‑Related Stocks

Travel‑related equities have reacted to the anticipated disruption, with several major carriers showing intraday pressure.

■TUI AG: down 2.3 % to €11.20

■EasyJet: down 1.8 % to £8.45

■HAVAAL (Istanbul Airport): up 0.9 % to TRY 42.10

Kemal Tekin, international transport analyst: “The ESS’s opening week has exposed the teething problems of integrating new biometric checks with existing infrastructure; until the technology stabilises, seasonal travel delays are likely to persist.”