Prague Airport, working closely with the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic and the Police of the Czech Republic, has already introduced a series of measures to facilitate border checks on third-country nationals arriving from non-EU countries. This comes in response to the new European Entry/Exit System (EES), whose introduction has made the check-in procedure more complex. The aim of all these measures is to reduce waiting times and ensure smooth operations even during peak periods.
“Our primary aim is to ensure that passengers pass through the terminal without unnecessary delays and do not spend a minute longer with us. Data has shown us that the most common delays occur when people interrupt the registration process at the terminals. It is precisely simplifying this step and providing direct assistance to families and senior citizens that we are now focusing on at present. Together with the Police of the Czech Republic, we are not merely putting together temporary stopgaps but are redesigning the entire process so that it remains resilient even during peak periods. We continuously monitor all the changes and adapt them to real-world operations,” emphasises Radomír Lašák, Chairman of the Board of Prague Airport.
Based on terminal utilisation data, the airport has already adjusted the passenger flow corridors. From the very beginning, airport staff – members of the so-called Red Team – have been on site, coordinating passengers and providing necessary advice.
At the same time, experts are mapping out in detail the route taken by passengers from the self-service kiosks to passport control, as a large proportion of travellers fail to complete their electronic registration at the kiosks. Consequently, the option of pre-registration prior to departure and briefing passengers on board aircraft is already being prepared at European Union level.
“We are in regular contact with the Chairman of the Board, and yesterday we discussed this matter in person. The introduction of the EES system represents a challenging step for all European airports. Our shared goal remains both to maintain high security standards and to ensure passenger comfort. The Ministry of the Interior, together with the Immigration Police, is prepared to take all necessary steps to successfully manage the situation concerning the new system. We are coordinating the next steps with the airport management and allocating the necessary resources to stabilise operations,” emphasises the Minister of the Interior, Lubomír Metnar.
The management of both the airport and the Ministry of the Interior also sincerely thank all front-line airport staff and police officers who are helping to manage the passenger influx professionally during these challenging days.