Leveraging EU-LISA to Enhance Customer Experience in Air Travel
As new EU border control regulations come into force, airlines and airports face growing pressure to comply with the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Administered by EU-LISA, these digital systems are designed to enhance border security through biometric registration and pre-travel authorisation for third-country nationals.
For many travel operators, these requirements are viewed primarily as an operational burden, risking longer queues, customer confusion, and reputational fallout. But the implementation of EU-LISA does not have to be a disruption. It can be a differentiator.
This white paper explores how forward-thinking carriers and airport operators can turn EU-LISA implementation into a positive, customer-centred experience. Drawing on expertise in inflight and ground service transformation, TJM Aviation Consulting presents a strategy to meet regulatory compliance while strengthening customer confidence and brand loyalty.
From Compliance Challenge to Service Opportunity
EU-LISA introduces significant procedural change for travellers, particularly non-EU nationals. These changes include biometric enrolment, fingerprint scanning, and advanced travel authorisation through ETIAS. For unprepared operators, this creates friction at check-in, departure gates, and especially at arrival and border control.
Customers increasingly expect digital ease, transparency, and personalised communication. Airlines and airports that approach EU-LISA through a customer lens, rather than a compliance lens, can reduce anxiety, create smoother journeys, and demonstrate leadership in a complex regulatory environment.
Understanding the Risk to the Customer Journey
When systems like EES and ETIAS are introduced without adequate customer preparation, the impact can be immediate:
Increased wait times at border control, especially for first-time registrants.
Customer confusion over what steps must be completed in advance.
Service bottlenecks when agents or crew are not empowered to assist.
Dissatisfaction driven by anxiety, surprise, or lack of information.
Negative sentiment on social and travel platforms that can spread rapidly.
The perception risk can be as damaging as the operational challenges themselves. To mitigate both, the customer journey must be reimagined with EU-LISA as a component of the experience, not an interruption.
A Proactive, Customer-Focused Approach
TJM Aviation Consulting advocates for a coordinated EU-LISA implementation strategy across the entire customer experience.
Pre-Travel Communication: Customers should understand EU-LISA requirements before arriving at the airport. This includes timely, brand-aligned messaging at the point of booking, through apps, and in all pre-departure communications.
Clear guidance on who must register.
Step-by-step instructions for ETIAS applications.
Estimated timing and preparation expectations.
Reassuring messaging aligned to brand tone and service promise.
Inflight and Airport Preparation: When customers arrive at the airport or board a flight, they should already feel informed. Airlines and airports must also ensure their staff are equipped to support the journey.
Cabin crew briefing tools and inflight FAQs.
Airport signage and pre-arrival touch-points that guide next steps.
Ground staff trained with multilingual resources and escalation protocols.
Service design that supports customer flow without confusion or overload.
Crew Enablement and Service Integration: Frontline teams are critical to customer confidence. They must be empowered and supported with clear, practical tools.
Training that explains why these changes matter, not just what to do.
Resources to help staff anticipate questions and manage situations calmly.
Consistent service language and escalation paths to maintain tone and authority.
Creating Competitive Advantage
Airlines that act early and communicate clearly will not only avoid disruption, they will strengthen customer trust. Benefits include:
Improved satisfaction and loyalty during a potentially stressful process.
Stronger digital engagement as customers turn to owned channels for guidance.
Enhanced reputation as a reliable and well-prepared travel brand.
Greater internal alignment across operations, communications, and customer service.
EU-LISA should not be treated as a bolt-on requirement. It is a moment to modernise and enhance the travel experience.
Our EU-LISA Readiness Model
TJM Aviation Consulting supports EU-LISA implementation through a structured framework that bridges operational planning with customer experience design.
Customer journey audits to identify communication and service risks.
Custom communication plans for digital, printed, and verbal touch-points.
Staff training packages for airport teams, handlers, and inflight crew.
Operational simulation and scenario testing before go-live.
Real-time measurement tools focused on wait times, complaint trends, and crew feedback.
Conclusion: Regulation with Reassurance
EU-LISA represents one of the most significant changes to European border processing in recent memory. It is a complex but necessary evolution. Handled poorly, it introduces friction. Handled well, it becomes an opportunity to demonstrate preparedness, empathy, and clarity.
Customers do not experience “regulations.” They experience moments. Moments of clarity or confusion. Of friction or ease. Of frustration or confidence. The role of the airline or airport is to shape these moments with care and intent.
By embedding EU-LISA into the customer journey - through guidance, communication, and consistent delivery - operators can turn compliance into competitive advantage.
Partnering for Implementation
TJM Aviation Consulting works with airlines and airports to translate regulation into experience. We specialise in enabling frontline teams, designing customer-ready communications, and building service strategies that perform under pressure.
If you are preparing for EES and ETIAS and want to ensure operational success without compromising your customer experience, we can help.
Contact us to learn how EU-LISA can become a moment of confidence, not concern.