Express Path. Is it operating?

[Himeno]

At MEL last week, there was someone checking boarding passes and letting J/F into a fast lane into immigration/security. No one enforcing it beyond that.
Arriving SYD this morning, there was a fast track/express pass sign at the smart gates, but no one checking anything and anyone was able to use the gates at the sign.

It took me 15 minutes to get from aircraft to collecting bags (from a bus gate), and almost 40 minutes to get through customs.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Confirmed operating in SYD as of 15JUN23 for F and J pax only.

Status holders in other cabins currently ineligible.

 

[Katie]

Flying QF SYD-CHC last Fri afternoon, we had Express Path symbols on our digital BPs (flying J). Crowds were pretty quiet, and Mr Katie wasn't challenged entering the EP/Fast Track/whatever queue to the left after going through the Passport machines.

Flying BNE-SYD-LAX in J last month and checking luggage, I was given a paper Express Path in BNE at checkin. I don't think I used it in SYD and just showed my J boarding pass. Definitely busier on that Friday morning than the Friday arvo experience last week!

 

[AIRwin]

I was given a paper Express Path in BNE at checkin.

Wonder if I can save it for use flying Economy out of SYD?

 

[SYD]

Wonder if I can save it for use flying Economy out of SYD?

No, F/J BPs only but as mentioned above it is possible to just pass through if no one is looking.

 

[henrus]

Wonder if I can save it for use flying Economy out of SYD?

MEL/BNE have gone back to the "Express Pass" branded system. Sydney airport haven't and are only allowing business/first class which they claim requires airlines to come to the party and pay up for a scheme. Basically I put this down to SYD airport greed, they're clearly looking at airports in Europe where airlines have to pay an extra fee per pax thinking they can replicate something similar in SYD.

I wonder if SYD is now charging a higher departure fee per pax in premium cabins justifying it with this scheme but until the airport operator with the crumbling carpark can sort it's self out I don't think anything will change.

 

[willclan]

Flew from MEL international recently and used my old Express Pass cards to enter the marked path. However get to Passport Control and have to line up with everyone else, including pilots and cabin crew, who also get no priority, bit of a joke!

 

[henrus]

Flew from MEL international recently and used my old Express Pass cards to enter the marked path. However get to Passport Control and have to line up with everyone else, including pilots and cabin crew, who also get no priority, bit of a joke!

Maybe I've just been lucky but with the newish security scanners and tray system the queues just seem to form before security with nothing major for the passport scan after. I've found the same at Brisbane which I guess is a benefit of security then having smart gate passport control after (what a concept... Sydney).

 

[willclan]

Slightly off topic, but I cannot understand why you have to get a ticket from a kiosk before u go through the E gates to exit the international terminal. As you leave Australia, you only have to scan your passport to get through the Egate, so why can't the same system work on entry?

 

[Himeno]

Slightly off topic, but I cannot understand why you have to get a ticket from a kiosk before u go through the E gates to exit the international terminal. As you leave Australia, you only have to scan your passport to get through the Egate, so why can't the same system work on entry?

It spaces out the arrival flow, reducing queues at the checkpoint as people are spread throughout a larger area and the many stage 1 kiosks.
When departing, there is no additional data ABF needs to retain that they don't get from the airline and the single passport scan. When arriving there is additional info they need to collect, which they can add to the kiosk if the question isn't already on the arrival card (which they are also trying to get rid of).

 

[Traveller X]

Confirmed operating in SYD as of 15JUN23 for F and J pax only.

Status holders in other cabins currently ineligible.

If F and J pax travelling with passengers in other cabins, can they bring them to th express path?

 

[SYD]

If F and J pax travelling with passengers in other cabins, can they bring them to th express path?

Can’t hurt to try especially if outside the busy peak periods. They do seem to have a lot more security screening stations operating now, so less of an issue anyway.

 

[henrus]

On Sunday afternoon in Sydney there was zero enforcement of the first/business line.

 

[SYD]

On Sunday afternoon in Sydney there was zero enforcement of the first/business line.

eGates or Security or both?

The eGate lines tend to just merge into one group - which is a bit annoying but there’s usually someone checking BPs at the security line - which is the main benefit.

 

[Traveller X]

eGates or Security or both?

The eGate lines tend to just merge into one group - which is a bit annoying but there’s usually someone checking BPs at the security line - which is the main benefit.

Both.

I could not believe that frequent flyers still cannot use the express lane for security and immigration

 

[Warragul]

It spaces out the arrival flow, reducing queues at the checkpoint as people are spread throughout a larger area and the many stage 1 kiosks.
When departing, there is no additional data ABF needs to retain that they don't get from the airline and the single passport scan. When arriving there is additional info they need to collect, which they can add to the kiosk if the question isn't already on the arrival card (which they are also trying to get rid of).

The ticket is/was needed to deal with every business scenario during the Customs process. Over the years of these have changed. I believe efforts are being made for the next generation of inbound smartgates to be one stop process ala outbound. Whether that is successful is a mystery.

 

[patrickw]

SYD 7:30am today - No enforcement of J/F for passport control (both at the gate-side, and just before the e-gates).
There was however someone checking BPs at the security queue.

There was no queue for security anyway, and J/F security line has the older x-ray scanners where you have to take out electronics so no real benefit this morning.

 

[SYD]

SYD 7:30am today - No enforcement of J/F for passport control (both at the gate-side, and just before the e-gates).
There was however someone checking BPs at the security queue.

That‘s basically how it’s been operating for a while. The priority/non-priority peeps meet inside and just get herded to a group of eGates usually near the priority entrance. A bit disappointing really.

There was no queue for security anyway, and J/F security line has the older x-ray scanners where you have to take out electronics so no real benefit this morning.

During the day, priority security lanes aren’t even open if it’s not too busy…

 

[gaz0303]

During the day, priority security lanes aren’t even open if it’s not too busy…

This is was my experience in late September. Absolutely no queues passing through immigration, only 3-4 people in line at security.

 

[whughes3]

This is was my experience in late September. Absolutely no queues passing through immigration, only 3-4 people in line at security.

Much the same last Wednesday (11/10).