Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) has urged the European Commission to delay the full implementation of the European Union's border control Entry/Exit System (EES) to at least April 2027, as a temporary relaxation period for its application expired on September 6.

The carrier warned that the system had been causing "severe border control congestion" across the continent this summer, with "border control delays" reaching up to three hours at airports like Kraków John Paul II International and Lisbon, as well as Milan and London where it operates from Milan Bergamo, Milan Malpensa, London Gatwick, London Luton, and London Stansted.

Earlier, easyJet UK CEO Kenton Jarvis called the border waiting times "completely unacceptable" and urged the EU to extend the system flexibility beyond September.

Speaking at a media briefing in Brussels on September 3, IATA's senior VP for external affairs Thomas Reynaert concurred that the possibility of a system relaxation beyond September 6 was "absolutely necessary" as a "safety valve" until its outstanding problems are resolved.

Ryanair, joined by easyJet and Jet2 (United Kingdom), called for an easing in EES's implementation following its April 10 launch, saying passengers were "paying the price" for the "half-baked" system rollout during the peak travel season.