Ryanair Warns of EU Border System Disruptions at Spanish Airports

The rollout of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is causing significant disruption at Spanish airports, with Tenerife South currently facing the most severe issues. Ryanair has warned that this digital border control system is creating bottlenecks that could jeopardize flight schedules throughout the summer.

The airline has formally asked Spain’s Interior Ministry for a delay in implementing these controls until September. Ryanair argues that current airport infrastructure cannot handle the increased processing time without causing major delays, particularly for flights to non-EU destinations like the UK—a vital market for the Canary Islands. With no response yet from the government, the airline is now advising passengers to arrive at the airport much earlier than usual to avoid missing their flights.

This concern is shared by major industry groups, including Airports Council International (ACI), A4E, and IATA, all of which have expressed worries to the European Commission about the strain this technology is placing on airport staff and resources. Ryanair has identified Tenerife South as a critical hotspot, alongside other busy hubs such as Malaga, Alicante, Palma, Milan Bergamo, Paris Beauvais, and Krakow, where congestion is already becoming a serious problem.

In contrast, EU officials remain calm, insisting that the transition to the automated system is running smoothly across most of the network. They have stated they are providing technical support to the airports struggling the most. This disagreement highlights the difficulty of introducing new security measures into an aviation sector that is still operating with limited capacity and is highly vulnerable to any disruption in passenger flow.