Ryanair urges German government to suspend EES rollout until September

Germany

Airline warns of long passport control queues and disruption during peak summer travel

Ryanair is calling on the German government to temporarily suspend the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) until September, citing growing concerns over long waiting times and operational disruptions at airports. The airline argues that a delay would help prevent passengers, including many families, from facing extended queues during the busy summer travel period.

Delays and system readiness concerns

Although the introduction of the EES had been scheduled for April 10, 2026 for more than three years, Ryanair says German authorities have not sufficiently prepared for its implementation. According to the airline, shortages in staffing, limited system readiness and an insufficient number of control kiosks are already leading to significant delays at passport control.

At airports such as Berlin, Cologne and Hahn, waiting times are reported to reach between one and two hours. In some cases, passengers have missed their flights as a result of these disruptions.

Comparison with other EU countries

Ryanair points to alternative approaches within the European Union, highlighting Greece as an example. There, the government has postponed the implementation of the EES until September in order to better manage passenger flows during the peak travel season.

The airline has written to governments across all 29 EES countries, including German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, urging them to follow a similar approach and ensure smoother airport operations in the coming months.

Call for temporary suspension

“Governments across Europe are attempting to introduce an untested IT system in the middle of the busiest travel period of the year, and passengers are paying the price by facing hours-long queues at passport control and, in some cases, missing their flights.

The solution is simple and already provided for in EU law (EU Regulation 2025/1534): Governments should suspend the EES until September, after the peak summer travel season, as Greece has already done. This would allow passengers, many of whom are travelling with young families, to begin their summer holidays in a more relaxed and seamless way,” said Neal McMahon, Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer.

Focus on smoother summer travel

Ryanair argues that postponing the rollout would reduce congestion, improve passenger experience and allow authorities additional time to ensure systems and staffing are fully operational.

With summer travel volumes expected to remain high, the airline is urging policymakers to prioritise stability and reliability at airports during the peak season.