If you're flying through Copenhagen Airport this week, brace yourself. New security protocols introduced on Thursday, 22 October 2026, have thrown the terminal into disarray, with hundreds of passengers missing their flights and queues stretching all the way to the metro station.
The trouble began when Denmark's Civil Aviation and Railway Authority tightened security procedures without warning. By Thursday evening, wait times at security had ballooned to at least 45 minutes, according to reports from Aviation24 and AA.com. Friday morning brought no relief, with passengers posting images of snaking lines and frustrated travelers on social media.
Why the Chaos?
The airport's communications director, Lise Agerley Kurstein, pointed to a perfect storm: the new security requirements landed right at the start of Europe's autumn school vacation, when thousands of Swedish families were heading south for the holidays. The result was a surge of travelers colliding with slower, more meticulous screening processes.
Norwegian, the low-cost carrier, reported that around 200 of its passengers missed their flights on Thursday alone. SAS, the Scandinavian flag carrier, said it had rebooked 352 passengers onto the first available departures by Friday morning. The airport's own flight information page now carries a stark warning: expect longer wait times at security, and arrive at least two hours before Schengen flights and three hours before non-Schengen departures.
An Emergency Meeting and No End in Sight
Airport officials were called to an emergency meeting on Friday to figure out how to untangle the mess, according to Swedish broadcaster SVT Nyheter Skåne. But so far, there's no clear timeline for when things will return to normal. Airport authorities say the disruption could last until early next week.
Part of the problem is the rollout of the European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU travelers, including British citizens, to register biometric data and passport details at the border. First-time registrations are taking far longer than expected, causing bottlenecks across the bloc. Some airports have already suspended EES registration to keep lines moving, but Copenhagen seems to be pushing ahead.
What Travelers Should Do
If you're booked to fly through Copenhagen in the coming days, here's the practical advice: arrive at least three hours before departure, even for short-haul flights. Check your airline's updates and the airport's official news page before you leave home. And if you're traveling with kids or have a tight connection, consider whether you can rebook to a less chaotic time.
This isn't the first time European airports have struggled with new security tech. Brussels Airport faced similar five-hour border lines earlier this year, and invested in new booths to ease the pain. Leipzig Airport's fence incident also showed how quickly airport operations can unravel. For now, Copenhagen's travelers are left to navigate the chaos with patience and a good book.
The airport has promised to keep passengers informed, but the situation remains fluid. If you can, delay your trip by a few days. If you can't, pack your patience and get there early. This is one airport story where the new security protocols are the main event, and they're not letting go anytime soon.
