4-hour airport queues? This new app lets non-EU travellers skip rental desk entirely in 2026
The service has gone live across several destinations popular with non-EU travellers, including Greece, Spain, Montenegro, the United Arab Emirates and Seychelles.
Woop Drive’s platform allows travellers to complete verification and access rental vehicles through a mobile app, eliminating the need to queue at traditional rental desks or complete paperwork on arrival. (AI-generated image)
As Europe rolls out its biometric Entry-Exit System (EES) for non-EU travellers, mobility platform Woop Drive has launched a desk-free, app-based car rental service aimed at easing arrival bottlenecks caused by longer border processing times.
The service has gone live across several destinations popular with non-EU travellers, including Greece, Spain, Montenegro, the United Arab Emirates and Seychelles.
Biometric checks increase arrival delays
Under the new EES system, non-EU travellers entering the Schengen Area are required to register biometric data, including fingerprints and facial images, during their first entry.
Airport industry groups have warned that the system has increased passenger processing times at border control by up to four or five times, with reports of waits stretching into several hours during peak periods.
According to the International Air Transport Association, global passenger numbers are expected to exceed five billion this year, adding pressure on arrival systems that still depend heavily on manual checks, queues and in-person verification.
Delays extend beyond passport control
While much of the attention has focused on border checks, delayed arrivals often trigger congestion across other parts of the travel chain, including car rental counters, transport pick-ups and hotel check-ins, particularly at high-traffic leisure destinations.
“As border control becomes more complex for non-EU travellers, the pressure doesn’t stop once passengers clear passport checks,” said Ričardas Šukys, CEO of Woop Drive.
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App-based rentals aim to cut queues
Woop Drive’s platform allows travellers to complete verification and access rental vehicles through a mobile app, eliminating the need to queue at traditional rental desks or complete paperwork on arrival.
The company said the desk-free model is designed to reduce friction for travellers whose arrival times have become increasingly unpredictable due to border delays.
A recent study by J.D. Power found that skipping rental counters results in 36% faster vehicle pick-up and increases customer satisfaction by up to 8%.
Peak travel periods add urgency
Airports and travel associations have warned that arrival delays could worsen during Easter and the summer travel peak, especially when multiple international flights land within short intervals.
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Travellers from non-EU countries are being advised to factor in longer arrival times throughout 2026, particularly during busy holiday seasons.
“Renting a car right after landing often adds stress and lost time, even when bookings are made online,” Šukys said. “We wanted to make the process as simple as ordering through an app.”
Border changes reshape arrival services
The rollout of EES marks one of the most significant changes to European border management in decades. For travel operators, it is also accelerating a broader shift away from manual, counter-based services toward fully digital arrival solutions.
As arrival times become less predictable, services that rely on in-person handovers are increasingly exposed to delays, industry executives say.
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