Brussels Airport faced severe passport-control delays for arriving non-EU passengers last week, with waits reaching up to five hours at the border checks in Zaventem. The disruption, linked to the rollout of the European Entry/Exit System, affected inbound travellers and some transfer passengers passing through passport control.
The airport has already seen repeated congestion as the new system changes how third-country nationals are processed on arrival. Border checks have become slower and more dependent on staffed counters, while some previous fast-track options are no longer available for certain travellers. That has increased pressure during busy arrival periods, especially for passengers coming from outside the EU.
Local reporting indicates the worst queues came in the week before 28 September, making this an active operational problem rather than a one-off complaint. The delays have also had knock-on effects, including flight disruptions and missed onward connections, underscoring the strain on airport border operations as EES continues to bed in.