Why non-EU travellers now wait 2 hours at Schiphol

Travellers from outside the EU currently wait one to two hours at passport control at Schiphol Airport due to the new European Entry/Exit System (EES). These longer waiting times are a concern for the Dutch airport.

EES delays cause concern at Schiphol

Since April 10, the EES has been fully implemented at all EU entry points. The system requires non-EU citizens to log details of their passport and biometric data when first entering any EU country, making it easier for border control to track how long a traveller has spent in the Schengen Zone.

Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam has noted that since the system has been implemented, waiting times for arriving travellers have become significantly longer. Non-EU citizens now wait up to two hours at passport control. Previously, travellers would have to wait a maximum of 80 minutes, according to the Financial Times (FT). This means waiting times have increased by 50 percent.

The Dutch airport considers the new waiting times too long. “Every day, Schiphol does everything it can to assist travellers as effectively as possible. We are deploying extra staff to guide travellers, answer questions and provide support where necessary,” Schiphol said in a statement, as reported by Welingelichte Kringen. “At the same time, responsibility for border control and the EES lies with the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and the Ministry of Defence.”

Waiting times at EU airports double

Schiphol is not the only airport in Europe affected by the new EU border controls. Peak waiting times have doubled at two major airports in Germany. The airport in Munich saw waiting times increase from 31 to 60 minutes, while in Frankfurt, queue times doubled to two hours. 

According to FT, many EU airports temporarily turn off parts of the EES checks during peak times in order to reduce waiting times. However, this is only allowed until September. 

The Airports Council International (ACI) Europe recently called on the EU President Ursula von der Leyen to temporarily suspend the EES system during the busy summer period. This request was rejected, with the EU claiming a suspension was “not needed” and “not possible”.