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national Europe%u00a0(ACI EUROPE) and Airlines for Europe (A4E) have cautioned about the EES operational rollout challenges. On its first day of full operation, those concerns appear to have materialised. The European Commission noted that registering a traveller takes an average of 70 seconds when the EES is functioning at full capacity. However, initial reports from a number of airports and airlines across the Schengen area confirm that the mandatory registration of all third-country nationals as of 31 March, combined with the removal of the option to fully suspend the system, has resulted in:%u2022 Passenger waiting times of two to three hours at airport border control during peak travel periods. These delays are occurring despite border authorities making extensive use of partial suspension measures, which allow biometric data not to be captured.%u2022 Significant disruption to flight operations, with passengers missing flights and delays due to prolonged border processing times. For instance, a flight to the UK was missing 51 passengers at departure. Another flight had zero passengers on board at gate closing time, and 90 minutes later, 12 passengers had yet to reach the gate.Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, and Ourania Georgoutsakou, Managing Director of A4E, stated: %u201cWhile we will continue to closely monitor developments in the coming days, it is already evident that greater flexibility is needed immediately. Border control authorities must be allowed to fully suspend the EES when waiting times become excessive. This is essential not only in the coming weeks, but throughout the peak summer travel season. Our support for the EES and its objectives is unwavering. However, strengthening border management must not come at the expense of operational efficiency or the passenger experience. Safeguarding Europe%u2019s reputation as an accessible and well-functioning tourist and business destination is at stake, particularly as air travel is already facing significant disruption due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East%u201d.American Airlines rules out merger with United AirlinesAmerican Airlines Group Inc. has issued a statement addressing recent developments in the aviation sector, firmly ruling out any possibility of a merger with United Airlines.In its statement, the company expressed appreciation for the leadership and strong support of US President Donald Trump, as well as US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, highlighting their ongoing commitment to strengthening what it described as the world%u2019s leading aviation industry.However, American Airlines made it clear that it is neither engaged in nor interested in any discussions regarding a potential merger with United Airlines. While acknowledging that broader changes in the airline market may be necessary, the company emphasised that such a merger would be detrimental to competition and harmful to consumers.According to the statement, a merger of this kind would also be inconsistent with the Administration%u2019s approach to the industry and the fundamental principles of antitrust law.American Airlines underlined that its priority remains the execution of its strategic objectives, aiming to secure long-term growth and maintain a strong competitive position.The company concluded by stating that it looks forward to continuing its collaborative relationship with the Administration as efforts to strengthen the wider airline industry move forward.May 2026 337