Canadians Face Passport Scanning Chaos at European Airports

September 24, 2025 — Canadian travelers attempting to return home today are caught in sudden chaos across multiple European airports as automated passport scanners fail to process Canadian documents.

At Rome Fiumicino Airport, long lines quickly built up this morning after machines repeatedly rejected Canadian passports with a flashing red error. Passengers described scenes of confusion as staff scrambled to divert travelers to slower, manual processing.

“It was a nightmare,” said one Canadian en route to Toronto. “The kiosk rejected me three times before staff waved me into another line. Dozens of us were stuck with no clear guidance.”

Reports of the same issue surfaced in Milan and Naples, where returning Canadians posted frustrated updates on social media about being unable to clear security. One traveler wrote: “Lines are at a standstill. Canadian passports just won’t scan. People are missing flights.”

Authorities Responding

While no official explanation has been provided, airport sources suggested the problem may stem from a temporary biometric synchronization error affecting Canadian documents in European systems. The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) confirmed it is monitoring the situation but did not issue immediate travel guidance.

Impact on Travelers

As of this afternoon, passengers continued to face delays of up to several hours. Airline staff reported families missing connections as the backlog grew. “We’re moving people as fast as we can, but when one country’s passports won’t scan, the whole system slows down,” one gate agent said.

Outlook

The disruption remains, but ODTN News will continue monitoring for updates. Travelers returning to Canada are advised to prepare for longer processing times and consider arriving at airports earlier than usual until systems are confirmed stable.

Covering where tech meets policy and the gaps in between. — Jordan Okeke