Prague Airport. Photo: Jaromir Chalabala / Shutterstock.com Prague Airport is introducing a series of measures to make border checks faster for third-country nationals arriving from outside the European Union, as the airport works with Czech authorities to manage the additional procedures created by the European Entry/Exit System.
The airport said on Wednesday, September 23, that it had already implemented several measures in cooperation with the Czech Ministry of the Interior and the Czech Police. The aim is to reduce waiting times and keep passenger flows moving during busy arrival periods.
The EES replaces traditional passport stamping with a digital record of entries and exits, along with biometric checks such as facial images and fingerprints for eligible non-EU and non-Schengen short-stay travelers. Passengers are generally required to complete registration at self-service kiosks before reaching passport control.
Prague Airport said its data shows that one of the most common sources of delay occurs when passengers stop or fail to complete the registration process at the kiosks.
To address the problem, the airport has adjusted passenger corridors and deployed its so-called Red Team to help direct travelers and provide assistance. Staff are particularly focused on helping families and older passengers navigate the new procedures.
The airport and police are also examining the entire passenger journey from the self-service kiosks to passport control. This is intended to identify where passengers are getting stuck and improve the success rate of EES registrations.
Further changes are also being considered at the European level. These include the possibility of allowing passengers to pre-register their details before arriving at the airport and providing information about the process while travelers are still onboard their flights.
The latest measures follow a series of steps already announced by Prague Airport. Earlier this month, the airport said it would expand border control capacity at Terminal 1 with five additional passport control desks and four EasyGoGate self-service gates. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of April 2027.
The airport had also announced additional passenger assistance, including an EES Assistance Team that can be deployed when queues exceed set waiting times. The team can distribute water and provide additional support to families with children and elderly passengers.
Prague Airport and the Czech Ministry of the Interior said they will continue monitoring the measures and adjusting the process according to passenger flows.
"Our primary goal is to ensure that the passage through the terminal takes place without unnecessary delays and that passengers do not spend even a minute extra with us," said Radomír Lašák, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Prague Airport.
Recently, Ryanair pointed to the longer processing times, staffing shortages and technical issues affecting self-service kiosks at European airports, calling on the European Commission to urgently extend the derogation allowing EU member states flexibility in applying the Entry/Exit System.