A video of a CNN journalist from Lisbon airport went viral, as she showed the long line to leave the country due to new EU travel rules – causing travelers to miss their flights.
The EU began a new entry-exit system in 2025, but it became fully operational in April this year, taking the heat off summer travellers. In the new system, they now collect fingerprints and facial photos of travellers, but it has led to complete chaos at airports as people have lost their flights waiting in those waiting lines.A video has gone viral of CNN journalist Clarissa Ward saying she missed her flight while waiting two hours to collect her biometric data.Ward showed a huge queue of people with non-EU passports who wanted to leave Lisbon. “I stood in the longest line I’ve ever seen (no joke). All because of the EU’s recently updated entry/exit system, which requires biometric scanning for every non-EU passport holder.
I saw a lot of elderly people and families with young children. People who missed communications. Others who missed flights. Me included. Airport staff allow TAP passengers (Portugal’s main airline) to cut the line only if they are seconds away from missing their flight.
everyone? “Good luck,” Ward wrote.
“Since the much-delayed implementation began in October, there have been similar scenes in many European cities. Airlines are pleading with airports to suspend the new measures during the summer travel peak.
European Union officials described the move as a “digital leap.” “From where I was standing, it looked like a complete set,” Ward said.Ward was mostly trolled as social media users said this is also what happens when Europeans travel to the US. One wrote: “Sorry mate, this is how the rest of the world travels. And yes, EES is a mess but the rest of the world is already used to standing in queues.” Another wrote: “Do you know what happens to us Europeans when we arrive at JFK? We wait. It’s part of the process. Stop complaining.”
What is the new entry and exit rule?
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system for registering non-EU citizens traveling for a short stay (up to 90 days within any 180 day period), each time they cross the external borders of any of the following European countries using the system. Non-EU national means a traveler who does not hold the citizenship of any EU country or the citizenship of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.The full list of countries subject to this system: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
