{"text":[[{"start":8.92,"text":"Peak waiting times at two major European airports have doubled this summer compared with a year ago after the EU’s chaotic rollout of its new electronic border system, data obtained by the FT has shown."}],[{"start":20.64,"text":"The maximum queue time in Frankfurt reached 120 minutes in July during the summer travel rush, up from 60 minutes a year prior, according to data from travel analytics group Qsensor."}],[{"start":32.24,"text":"In Munich, peak waiting times went from 31 minutes to 60 minutes, the data shows, while Amsterdam airport saw maximum waiting times rise from 80 to 120 minutes."}],[{"start":43.3,"text":"The travel industry has repeatedly predicted the new system would lead to long delays and warned it ignored the potential for bottlenecks as airports struggle to process passengers quickly enough."}],[{"start":53.56,"text":"The EU implemented its entry/exit system (EES) in April, which requires passengers from the UK and other non-EU countries to register with their fingerprints, photo and personal information when they first arrive."}],[{"start":66.84,"text":"Ryanair’s chief executive Michael O’Leary said the system had been “misdesigned” and should be moved online."}],[{"start":73.14,"text":"“Only the Europeans would invent shit like this,” he told investors last month, adding that the airline had seen significant queues at about 15 airports."}],[{"start":null,"text":"
"}],[{"start":81.48,"text":"The system is meant to improve the bloc’s border security by tracking who comes in and out, catching visa overstayers and helping find people wanted for crimes, but its rollout has been marred by delays, technical glitches and hardware problems."}],[{"start":95.16,"text":"A spokesperson for Frankfurt airport said the new border checks had resulted in “departure delays and further operational disruptions”."}],[{"start":102.76,"text":"The data provided to the FT by Qsensor allows snapshots of how long the queues are at particular points throughout the day, based on data reported by passengers and public information."}],[{"start":113.18,"text":"“With increasing wait times, we’re seeing a surge in anxiety from both British and North American holidaymakers about how long they’ll stand in line,” said Oliver Maxfield, founder of Qsensor."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":122.78,"text":"The data shows clear bumps during the busiest times at the three airports, which are among Europe’s biggest aviation hubs. In Munich, the change in waiting times was only evident for passengers who had to be checked manually, indicating that the EES registrations were a factor behind the delays, as the automatic queues are reserved for EU passengers who do not need to register."}],[{"start":145.04,"text":"Many airports have temporarily turned off parts of the EES checks, such as not collecting fingerprints during peak times, to alleviate the strain."}],[{"start":153.4,"text":"That flexibility is due to end in September — though eight EU member states as well as Switzerland have asked the European Commission to extend it."}],[{"start":161.8,"text":"The Commission is currently discussing the possibility of extending the existing derogations with member states."}],[{"start":167.16,"text":"“When it comes to the time after the summer, we are in close and constructive contact with those few member states where there are challenges at certain border crossing points,” said a spokesperson for the Commission."}],[{"start":179.12,"text":"The spokesperson said the average time of the EES registration was 70 seconds, adding that “in most cases” the impact on travellers from outside the EU is limited."}],[{"start":189.54,"text":"They also highlighted the “very clear security benefits” of the EES, with 160mn entries and exits registered since its launch."}],[{"start":197.92,"text":"British Airways chief executive Sean Doyle told journalists the system had led to “flashpoints” at some airports though had not, on the whole, affected the airline’s operations “significantly”."}],[{"start":208.52,"text":"Kenton Jarvis, easyJet chief, urged airports that were not using the flexibility to “use common sense and don’t allow people to stand there for three hours”."}],[{"start":217.8,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1786431893_4387.mp3"}