Ridiculous immigration lines at BNE

[mikenz]

I wonder how the US Corss Border system works in Canada. Are passengers forced to go through the system and the isolated before boarding so that no mixing airside can occur?

I don't think mixing would matter, wouldn't they still need to be processed (by man or machine) at the other end? No different to swapping passports on the plane.

 

[serfty]

IIRC AKL had Australian Smartgate machine airside so you could at least get the ticket before arriving at an Australian port. I wonder how the US Corss Border system works in Canada. Are passengers forced to go through the system and the isolated before boarding so that no mixing airside can occur?

They did, but were removed (apparently due to lack of use). One was near the Qantas Lounge entrance and there was a bank between near the entrance to gates 2 & 4.

And, yes, for US immigration ex Canada, processed (immigration and customs) PAX are isolated before boarding.

I don't think mixing would matter, wouldn't they still need to be processed (by man or machine) at the other end? No different to swapping passports on the plane.

No; such flights are treated as "domestic" and PAX are deposited Airside at the destination port in the USA.

 

[mikenz]

I wonder if they'd be able to put a smartgage machine on a plane. Then passengers could do the first bit during the flight


And how much would that end up costing? I'm sure airfares would increase slightly too...

We already pay a customs fee as part of our flight ticket. Maybe that could cover it. The extra weight on the aircraft could be an issue, and connectivity with the ground and all the security issues that brings. There would be other concerns with flight systems. I'm sure the airlines/pilots wouldn't want another electrical system to deal with - something extra to go wrong. Particularly since I'd imagine it would have to be completely standalone from the aircraft systems for security purposes.

I'm sure eventually there will be an app where passengers scan their passport using the camera and submit it online, then using their phone to go through Smartgate.

 

[Himeno]

IIRC AKL had Australian Smartgate machine airside so you could at least get the ticket before arriving at an Australian port. I wonder how the US Corss Border system works in Canada. Are passengers forced to go through the system and the isolated before boarding so that no mixing airside can occur?

Yes. At the Canadian airports which have CBP preclearance have flight check in with baggage tagged before the pax is sent through to CBP (with their baggage). They are processed by CBP and checked baggage sent down to baggage handling after customs. Flights then depart from a separate secure part of the terminal.
Some ports have it set up so the gates can swap between US and other international with doors opened/closed as needed (like the 'swing' gates between international and domestic at NRT T2).

 

[RooFlyer]

<snip>

And, yes, for US immigration ex Canada, processed (immigration and customs) PAX are isolated before boarding.No; such flights are treated as "domestic" and PAX are deposited Airside at the destination port in the USA.

Just a clarification. Did you mean 'landside' in that last bit, serfty?

 

[Himeno]

Just a clarification. Did you mean 'landside' in that last bit, serfty?

No. "Domestic" pax from preclearance locations are landed at the airside just like any other domestic pax. Someone flying YVR-DFW or YYZ-JFK doesn't need to clear immigration or TSA after arriving any more then someone flying LAX-DFW does. Someone flying YYZ-JFK-DFW is just the same as someone flying MSP-DFW-MIA.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Going by a very recent thread it seems that would not always be correct:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....artgate-children-something-i-didnt-65557.html

Good pickup serfty. Thanks. Having read that thread, I suspect Miss 3 might be both too young and too short. But I'm taking Miss 3 o/s in a few weeks, so there's an easy way to find out.

 

[RooFlyer]

No. "Domestic" pax from preclearance locations are landed at the airside just like any other domestic pax. Someone flying YVR-DFW or YYZ-JFK doesn't need to clear immigration or TSA after arriving any more then someone flying LAX-DFW does. Someone flying YYZ-JFK-DFW is just the same as someone flying MSP-DFW-MIA.

Then it's just a matter of definition. I call "airside" the departure gate side of immigration and / or security. If you are in transit, you get off " airside", as you are still behind immigration.

If you travel to the U.S. with TSA pre clearance in Canada ( as I have done more times than I care to remember) you get off in the USA "landslide" in my parlance, as there are no immigration or security bypass barriers to your stepping out to the kerb.

We are talking the same thing, just call the situation different.

 

[serfty]

I meant airside as the bit between security and the boarding gate.

If connecting, say YVR-xDFW-MIA you would do immigration and customs at YVR then fly to DFW. At DFW you get off at the secure side and walk/train to your gate for the flight to MIA (no need to reclear security) and fly off East.

This is different from, say connecting at LAX to a flight out of TBIT.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I wonder if they'd be able to put a smartgage machine on a plane. Then passengers could do the first bit during the flight

Why on the plane? Do it before you board would make sense to streamline the process

 

[greenfish]

If travelling with children under 16 you can't use OccasionallySmartGate either.

This is no longer the case. Currently if travelling with a minimum of two adults, children aged 10-15 travelling on an Australian e-passport can use Smartgate.

SmartGate - Frequently asked questions

 

[drross]

Came in from Auckland last night on Emirates. 15 minutes from time we left the plane to into the taxi. Smart gates worked so well. Priority luggage (why doesn't Qantas do priority well) actually WAITING for us on carousel and straight through customs and out into the real world. Was abit worried when we say the express lane post luggage collection was closed but no real hold up.

 

[greenfish]

The BNE queues at peak times have been around for a while now. When my MIL visited from the UK in 2012, the queues were so bad, she hasn't come back .

Of course she has no idea how appalling it can be for a non-EC passport holder flying into the UK and ignores me recounting a 2 hour delay at Gatwick a couple of years ago.