Ryanair warns of long queues at nine key European airports

Ryanair is warning passengers of “significant” delays and long queues at nine major European airports this summer, as passport control bottlenecks and the rollout of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System combine with peak holiday traffic.

Nine airports flagged as disruption hotspots

According to recent public statements and media coverage, Ryanair has identified nine airports where delays and queues are already proving particularly acute: Tenerife South, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Malaga, Milan Bergamo, Krakow, Paris Beauvais, as well as heavily used hubs in France and Portugal affected by the new border checks. Reports indicate that these locations are emerging as hotspots for congestion as passenger numbers climb toward their summer peak.

Coverage from European travel and regional news outlets notes that passengers using these airports have faced passport control queues that can stretch well beyond an hour at busy times. The problem is most pronounced on weekends and during traditional changeover days, when turnarounds are tight and terminal facilities are under maximum pressure.

Ryanair’s warnings focus in particular on families and leisure travelers, who are more likely to travel at peak times and may be less familiar with new procedures. Publicly available information from aviation industry groups suggests that even small slowdowns in border processing can quickly cascade into missed connections, delayed departures and aircraft waiting on stand for passengers held up in queues.

Industry commentary indicates that these nine airports are not alone, but they are seen as an early signal of wider strain across Europe’s short haul network as the summer season unfolds.

EU border system rollout magnifies airport bottlenecks

A key driver of the current disruption is the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System, a new biometric border regime for non-EU nationals. The system, which requires additional fingerprint and facial image capture on top of existing passport checks, has been phased in at many major leisure airports serving UK and other third country travelers.

Ryanair has repeatedly argued in public statements and open letters that the system is not yet ready for full peak season operation at several of its largest bases. Airline and airport trade bodies have echoed these concerns, warning that processing times are significantly longer than under the previous regime, especially where self service kiosks are limited or staff are still adapting to the procedures.

Reports from French, Portuguese and pan European industry sources describe queues of up to two hours at passport control in some terminals at busy times, with staff shortages and technical teething problems slowing the capture of biometric data. These delays are being felt both on arrival and departure, squeezing the window passengers have to reach their gates once airside checks are completed.

Publicly available briefings from airport operators also highlight the knock on effect on baggage handling, security lanes and landside access roads, as congestion in one part of the passenger journey pushes backflows elsewhere in the terminal.

Ryanair’s operational response and passenger advice

In response to the mounting disruption, Ryanair has already adjusted parts of its operation and passenger guidance. The airline has announced that from November 2026, airport check in and bag drop across its network will close 60 minutes before scheduled departure, up from 40 minutes previously. Company statements explain that the change is intended to give passengers more time to clear airport security and passport control queues before boarding begins.

Ryanair is also using its corporate channels and media coverage to urge governments to defer full implementation of the Entry/Exit System until after the peak summer period. The airline argues that a temporary pause would reduce the risk of widespread delays and missed flights while border authorities scale up staffing, complete kiosk installations and refine procedures.

For travelers, Ryanair is advising, via public updates and travel alerts, that they arrive at airports significantly earlier than they may have done in previous years, particularly when flying from the nine highlighted airports and other busy holiday gateways. Passengers are being encouraged to complete as many steps as possible in advance, such as online check in and digital boarding pass preparation, to minimize time spent at check in counters.

Travel industry commentary suggests that passengers should also factor in additional time for airport parking, transfers and security, given that congestion can build well before travelers reach passport control queues.

Wider industry pressure and calls for government action

The issues raised by Ryanair at the nine affected airports are part of a broader debate within the European aviation sector about readiness for the new border regime. Airlines and airport associations have issued several coordinated statements in recent months warning that insufficient staffing, uneven deployment of technology and a lack of real world stress testing could leave terminals struggling to cope with summer traffic.

Several national and regional governments are now under pressure to review their implementation timelines. In France, Italy and Portugal, local media reports describe ongoing discussions about whether to slow or modify the rollout of the Entry/Exit System at key tourist gateways. Some officials have publicly acknowledged that investment in infrastructure and training is still catching up with the demands of the new rules.

For now, however, the system remains in place across much of the Schengen area, and airlines such as Ryanair are planning for a summer in which significant airport delays and long queues are likely to persist. With school holidays starting in many source markets, the nine airports identified by the carrier are expected to remain under particular scrutiny from both travelers and industry observers in the weeks ahead.