Express Path

[mel-world]

One question and a comment about the Express Path at MEL after re a recent Thursday mid-morning departure.

Question... Can anyone tell me if there are any plans to introduce the Smart-gates at Australian departures similar to the inbound gates that I find excellent and reliable. Is there any reason (other than job security) to need a physical check of your passport on departure in Australia? Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore (from my most recent trip) all have Smart-gates on departure for their residents.

While I find security reasonably quick with an Express card in MEL, the same cannot be said for Immigration, where the normal line is often quicker than the Express line especially if there are a lot of Aircrew, wheelchairs and various other VIPs, latecomers and APEC card holders going through. Even though I have never seen more than 50% of the available desks being utilised, the normal line at least moves. I have been told that Thursday and Saturday are the worst days of the week for some reason although, I guess the start of school holidays and Easter would not be too good either.

On a recent Thursday, both lines were out to security so it took about 15 mins to even get to the start of the immigration area and then another 25/30 mins to get to the head of the queue. The Airport did check to ensure you were entitled to join the Express lane then said that the airlines only paid for one officer; hence the reason the line moved so slowly. The other two officers were for crew and others so only took Express persons if free.

The SQ Airport manager refuted this statement telling me that the Airport only assigns one desk to Express but charges the airlines for the privilege of 'looking after' their F and J passengers with an Express lane. If it is really busy, more Immigration agents are sent upstairs to arrivals so departures suffers given the recent Government cost-cutting limiting the number of agents on-duty.

The quicker we get the Smart-gates the better. The Duty Free will suffer as we do not get enough dwell time before the flight as I do not want to arrive much earlier.

As an aside and off topic, the immigration line was much slower at KUL both inbound and outbound but I did not experience a much more thorough security check than on my last visit - I go there about every 2 months. They are back to the finger printing again in both directions - it will be interesting to see how long that lasts.

 

[TomVexille]

I did hear there is a plan to trial Smart-Gate departures at BNE. New Zealand are already doing it so it shouldn't be difficult for Australia to follow suit.

 

[mel-world]

I did hear there is a plan to trial Smart-Gate departures at BNE. New Zealand are already doing it so it shouldn't be difficult for Australia to follow suit.

Thanks; the sooner the better for me.

 

[cmon0005]

What I still find frustrating is (especially in mel) for the airport to actually provide said express line.
Turn left at express only to be greeted with a line that 'joins' the main line, with no staff to direct you into the main line.
Instead get angry stares from pax in the main line as if I am pushing in. Not a good way to make your premium pax feel.

 

[will2rob]

I'm travelling to Singapore via Brisbane on Saturday with SYD-BNE on a domestic QF flight before changing to the international terminal for BNE-SIN which is where I will go through customs. Last time I did this route, I didn't receive an express path pass before going through customs and the old biddy who was some sort of pensioner volunteer wouldn't let me in the express path line, notwithstanding my boarding pass showed I was WP travelling in J. I wouldn't have cared too much except the terminal was in chaos that day, and the lines were that long they had security guards stopping pax from entering the lower level where the customs barriers are located and there were hundreds of people queued up. It took me well over 90 minutes to clear customs whereas for once, the express path line was very short. Where should I go to to get my pass from before hitting departures in BNE Int?

 

[mushez]

I'm travelling to Singapore via Brisbane on Saturday with SYD-BNE on a domestic QF flight before changing to the international terminal for BNE-SIN which is where I will go through customs. Last time I did this route, I didn't receive an express path pass before going through customs and the old biddy who was some sort of pensioner volunteer wouldn't let me in the express path line, notwithstanding my boarding pass showed I was WP travelling in J. I wouldn't have cared too much except the terminal was in chaos that day, and the lines were that long they had security guards stopping pax from entering the lower level where the customs barriers are located and there were hundreds of people queued up. It took me well over 90 minutes to clear customs whereas for once, the express path line was very short. Where should I go to to get my pass from before hitting departures in BNE Int?

I just would go over to the QF check in area and ask for a pass, not really that out of the way as you have to walk past them all on the way to go down to security and immigration.

I find they don't take them off you often at BNE and have a stack of them in my bag if I am not given one.

 

[Denali]

I found in my draw what seems to be old Qantas ECs, its been a while since Ive travelled on Qantas and they are prinited on boarding pass type cardboard and not like the glossy EC I receive from AirNZ, SA or VA. Are these still in use?

Thanks,

 

[Danger]

Are the Express Path cards still accepted at Melbourne?

 

[Hvr]

Are the Express Path cards still accepted at Melbourne?

No. No queue marked express at all,

 

[Danger]

No. No queue marked express at all,

Bugger. Something else I've hoarded that's now useless.

 

[straitman]

The airlines still hand out the cards though!