GREECE — Alexander Zinell, Chief Executive of Fraport Greece, has called for an overhaul of the EU entry-exit system (EES). Zinell stated that delays and safety concerns for passengers at the 14 Greek airports Fraport Greece operates necessitate changes to the system.

The EES requires non-EU passengers to provide their fingerprints and a photo at the start of their trip. This biometric data must then be verified each time they depart from or re-enter the Schengen zone. Fraport Greece's airports, which include facilities in Rhodes, Corfu, Mykonos, and Crete, have erected gazebos to provide shade for passengers waiting to be processed. Zinell told the Financial Times, "It is very unpleasant for passengers, and even dangerous."

Greek authorities have indicated that police will not check UK passengers under the new system, despite there being no blanket legal exemption from biometric tests for these travelers. Visitors from the UK constitute the majority of non-EU tourists at airports managed by Zinell. Border police currently have the flexibility under EU rules to suspend checks during peak times, but this provision is scheduled to lapse in September. The entry-exit system was initially implemented in October.

Zinell said in the interview, "These are just temporary fixes, the system needs to be overhauled." He further suggested that the system "needs a new version, an update, and probably a reconfiguration in order to allow people to register before they fly, before they get on a plane, before they go to the airport." Vulnerable individuals have been prioritized through security at these airports.