Travel disruption grows as border checks, fuel costs and conflict hit aviation
Non-European travelers arriving at Brussels Airport faced waits of up to three hours at border control on Thursday as Belgium continued rolling out the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System and dealt with a seasonal surge in passenger traffic.
Airport spokesperson Jeffrey Franssens said the longest queues were recorded during peak morning hours. European passengers using automated passport-control gates generally faced waits of between 30 and 60 minutes.
The Entry/Exit System, known as EES, electronically registers non-European nationals entering and leaving the Schengen Area and replaces traditional passport stamps with biometric checks, including fingerprints and facial scans.
“The registration requires more steps and time per passenger. As a result, waiting times build up rapidly during busy periods,” Franssens said.
Belgian authorities had deployed additional Aviation Police personnel ahead of the summer season, but the airport said the extra staffing has not been sufficient during periods of heavy traffic.
The disruption comes as airlines face rising operating costs and uncertainty over fuel prices.
Ryanair lowered its passenger forecast for fiscal 2027 to 214 million from 216 million, after soaring jet fuel prices prompted the Irish low-cost carrier to reduce its winter schedule.
The airline expects passenger traffic between November and March to remain broadly unchanged from the previous year. It said the schedule reduction could cut winter losses by between €70 million and €100 million, depending on fares and demand.
Ryanair said jet fuel was trading at about $140 a barrel as conflict in the Middle East pushed energy prices higher.
The carrier has hedged 80% of its fiscal 2027 fuel requirements at about $67 a barrel, giving it greater protection from high spot prices than many competitors.
Airlines warn of higher fares
Ryanair said European short-haul airfares could rise significantly if elevated oil prices continue into the summer 2027 season, as airlines seek to pass higher fuel costs on to passengers.
The company also warned that airlines with less fuel protection could struggle to maintain capacity or remain financially viable through the coming winter.
Despite the reduced annual forecast, Ryanair expects summer traffic to rise by more than 5% to 145 million passengers, compared with 138 million a year earlier.
The airline carried 22.2 million passengers in August, up 6% year on year, with its load factor unchanged at 96%.
Cathay suspends Middle East flights
Separately, Cathay Pacific has cancelled all passenger flights to Dubai and Riyadh through Nov. 30, citing the latest developments in the Middle East.
The Hong Kong-based carrier said affected passengers would be offered options to rebook, reroute or receive refunds.
“Cathay will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation in the Middle East,” the airline said.
The cancellations follow renewed Iran-US fighting after a US strike on Iran’s Larak Island earlier this week ended a month-long lull in hostilities.
Together, the developments highlight mounting pressures on international aviation, ranging from longer border processing times and seasonal congestion to higher fuel costs and renewed geopolitical disruption.
Source:AA
