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EU Border System Nearly Triples Passport-Control Times for UK Travellers, Airport Boss Says

The EU's Entry Exit System has increased the average passport‑control time for UK nationals at Rome's Fiumicino airport from about seven minutes to roughly 20 minutes, according to airport chief Ivan Bassato.

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What happened

The EU’s Entry Exit System has increased the average passport‑control time for UK nationals at Rome’s Fiumicino airport from about seven minutes to roughly 20 minutes, according to airport chief Ivan Bassato.

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

Longer border queues raise travel costs and inconvenience, which can deter passengers, lower airline load factors, and pressure airport operators to invest in faster processing technology.

Analyst inference

Longer passport checks could make the EU less attractive for UK travelers, potentially reducing demand for flights and airport services that rely on quick border processing.

Analyst inference

What to watch

  1. Whether the EU will implement technical fixes to speed up the Entry Exit System, which could restore faster processing times for UK travelers. Proposed
  2. Airlines’ booking patterns for routes between the UK and EU, especially Ryanair’s capacity adjustments if passengers start avoiding longer wait times. Analyst inference
  3. Potential regulatory pressure from the EU or UK governments demanding improvements to the self‑service kiosks or overall border‑control procedures. Analyst inference

Evidence