Turkish Tourism Sector Warns of Airport Chaos from New EU Entry System
The Turkish tourism industry and several airlines are expressing strong concern over the European Union’s new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES). They fear the system will create long queues and chaos at airports during the upcoming busy summer season and are requesting its implementation be postponed until September.
The EES is designed to register biometric data from third-country nationals, including many Turkish tourists, who cross into the Schengen area. While its purpose is to strengthen borders and digitalise the entry process, the industry believes current preparations are insufficient. This lack of readiness could lead to significant delays and a poor travel experience due to the increased time required for each traveller at passport control.
These potential delays are particularly concerning for the critical summer season, threatening to harm tourism and affect destinations reliant on air traffic. This includes both travellers flying directly to the EU and those transiting through EU hubs to popular Turkish destinations such as Antalya, Istanbul, or Bodrum.
Airlines and representatives from the Turkish tourism sector are therefore advocating for an EES implementation delay until September. Such a postponement would provide airports, border states, and airlines with additional time to implement necessary infrastructure and training, ensuring a smoother system rollout.
Source: Turizmguncel
