The new European passport system, called EES (entry/exit system) has become the “curse word of the summer” for some Europe-bound US travelers, according to a story in the Wall Street Journal.

The system, which officially rolled out in April, relies on facial recognition and fingerprints instead of a passport stamped at a booth. The procedure was introduced to  speed things up and improve security.

The lines got so bad at one point, said the article,  that aviation-industry officials begged the president of the European Commission to ease up on the new rules through the summer. (The request was denied, but efforts to blunt the negative impact continue.)

The article offered advice to those going to Schengen-area countries in Europe or planning to:

• Build a buffer.  Make sure you build time into your schedule for long waits, especially if you have a connection.
• Ditto for car services and first-day activities. Don’t schedule anything too close to flight arrival or departure. On departure, budget plenty of time for airport check-in and security. Passport control is after that.
• Brush up on the EES system before  a trip. The EU details the process online and has created a YouTube video about it. There is no advance sign-up required, unlike the UK’s new entry rules.
• Consider VIP services. There are services that will escort travelers through the process at some airports for a fee.