Travel groups are pushing the European Union to keep letting countries ease its new biometric border checks when queues get long, The Independent and Skift reported. The Entry/Exit System, known as EES, makes visitors from outside the EU give fingerprints and a face scan, the two news groups reported.

The checks have caused long lines at some airports, The Independent and Skift reported. Airport and airline groups say waits still often top two hours and can reach five hours at the worst times, the two news groups reported.

Until early September, countries could skip the biometric step when lines grew too long, The Independent and Skift reported. Skift said that option ended on September 7. Airlines including Ryanair have asked for it back, The Independent and Skift reported.

A senior European Commission official said on Thursday that "there will be some further flexibility," Skift reported. She spoke at a Skift event in Dublin and said a balance would be found, Skift reported. A month earlier, Brussels had let the emergency power lapse, Skift reported.

Abta, the UK travel trade group, wants the option kept into 2027, The Independent reported. "Until the system is operating effectively, Abta believes the ability to step down checks must be retained," its public affairs director said, according to The Independent.

An Abta survey found that most travelers had not faced very long lines, The Independent reported. Half said EES had added less than 30 minutes, and 87% waited less than an hour, the survey found, according to The Independent. Six percent said EES made them much less likely to travel to the EU, The Independent reported.

What we know: Travel groups want the EU to keep letting countries ease biometric checks, and a senior official says more flexibility is coming.
What we don't: What form the extra flexibility will take, and when the European Commission will announce it.