Elsemarie waited in long passport queue after holiday: ‘Frustration grew’

Passengers at Copenhagen Airport faced long passport-control queues last week after a new EU digital registration system slowed processing speeds, airport and police officials confirmed on Sunday.

Elsemarie Jensen said she and her family waited at least 45 minutes after landing from Turkey shortly after midnight on 12 July. “Suddenly we couldn’t move forward. People were in front of us and more kept joining behind, so the queue just kept growing,” she told DR.

With no information provided, passengers speculated aloud about possible drone alerts or other disruptions. Jensen said fatigue from the overnight flight and the lack of updates heightened irritation among travellers. “We were exhausted after hours in the air and just wanted to get home to bed,” she said.

Sheena Oliver, arriving from Scotland on 17 July, reported waiting more than 90 minutes at digital passport control. “We were almost stationary,” she said. “After an hour, more kiosks opened, but it felt haphazard.”

Københavns Politi increased staffing on 4 July, yet long waits persist, said police inspector Anders Rath. “We understand the frustration. We are doing our best and have significantly boosted resources at the border,” he said.

Kristoffer Plenge-Brandt, operations director at Copenhagen Airport, said staff direct passengers to the fastest queues but warned that delays are inevitable during peak periods. “We regret any poor experience and work to prevent it,” he said.

Jensen said the episode left her family reconsidering air travel. “My husband says he simply won’t bother with airports again,” she said. “He wants to drive instead.”