Infrastructure: Ees news in Portugal

Passengers at Humberto Delgado Airport continue to experience long queues at passport control, a situation exacerbated by the full operation of the European Entry/Exit System (Sistema de Entrada/Saída or EES). While expansion works in the border area are scheduled for inauguration on May 29, airline associations are calling for a suspension of the current system.

Ryanair has called on the Portuguese government to suspend the new Entry/Exit System (EES) at airports during the peak summer season. The airline warns that the new border control procedures could cause significant delays for families and holidaymakers traveling through Portugal until September.

The European Commission stated that initial constraints in the new European Entry/Exit System are normal, but emphasized that resolving these issues at airports is the responsibility of individual member states. The system, which came into force last Friday, caused significant delays at Portuguese airports over the weekend.

Biometric data collection for departures at Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports was suspended on Saturday morning, April 11, to prevent passengers from missing flights due to long queues, according to the PSP. The process resumed in the early afternoon. PSP spokesperson Sérgio Soares confirmed that biometric collection is now operating at 100% for both departures and arrivals. The suspension was a contingency measure to manage high passenger volumes and avoid excessive wait times. The Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated EU system replacing passport stamps with digital biometric registration for non-EU citizens, has been fully operational since Friday, following a phased rollout that began in October 2025.

Update: Biometric collection suspended again at major airports

Biometric data collection for departures at Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports was suspended again this Sunday, April 12, due to excessive waiting times. The PSP stated the measure aims to prevent passengers from missing flights while maintaining border security as high numbers of travelers exit the Schengen Area.