When we think of summer holidays, we imagine suitcases, sunshine, and freedom. But behind the scenes, every journey is orchestrated through a series of invisible checks: identity, payment, authorisations, security. Millions of personal data points circulate daily between booking platforms, airlines, public services and border control systems. The result: summer has become a large-scale stress test for digital identification technologies and digital security infrastructures.

A Season Under Digital High Pressure

 

Every summer, peaks in mobility put remote identification systems to the test. In airports, for example, the automation of identity checks is becoming essential to absorb passenger flows. At Amsterdam Schiphol, the biometric system “Seamless Flow” allows passengers to complete check-in, baggage drop and boarding using facial recognition. The aim: reduce queues and enhance security while streamlining the passenger journey.

But this automation is not without challenges. In July 2023, the digital identity verification system at Heathrow Airport in London was temporarily shut down due to a biometric data processing incident, causing major delays. The same occurred in Lisbon, where massive queues formed due to an eGate malfunction during an August weekend. These situations illustrate the fragility of digital infrastructures under exceptional demand.

And this phenomenon goes beyond European borders: in the United Arab Emirates, the “Smart Gates” platform at Dubai Airport allows travellers to pass through border checks in seconds thanks to biometrics. However, the authorities had to temporarily restrict access during summer 2024 in response to a surge in identity fraud attempts involving falsified or poorly digitised documents.

 

Rentals, Mobility, Tourism: Expanding Uses

 

Beyond airports, digital identity verification features in all key holiday moments: car rental, hotel booking, online check-in… Many platforms now require secure digital proof (ID documents, proof of residence, video selfie). This phenomenon, known as “KYC – Know Your Customer”, is central to combating fraud, but can also become a headache in case of unstable networks or poor facial recognition. Some European start-ups specialising in digital identity, such as IDnow (Germany) or Onfido (United Kingdom), see their activity increase by 30 to 50% over the summer. This seasonal peak requires specific investment in verification capacity and in the fight against forged documents.

 

Towards a European Framework with eIDAS 2.0

 

This is where the eIDAS 2.0 regulation, in force since March 2024, comes in. This text aims to establish a European interoperable digital identity framework, notably through the implementation of Digital Identity Wallets (the EU Digital Identity Wallets). The objective: allow every European citizen to access public and private services (travel, healthcare, banking...) by authenticating in a secure and standardised manner, across Europe.

In summer 2025, several pilot projects are underway in countries such as Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden, to test these digital wallets in real-life situations: hotel check-in, access to transport or age verification. This gradual rollout could transform the summer mobility experience in the years to come, while offering a unified response to the challenges of digital security during high season.

 

As summer intensifies mobility, it also reveals the limits and the potential of digital identity verification technologies. While user experience has improved significantly in recent years, the reliability and robustness of systems must continue to evolve to cope with summer peaks. The eIDAS 2.0 framework, by promoting interoperability at the European level, opens up a new path: that of a more seamless, more secure, and better adapted digital identity for our hypermobile world, including summer.

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