Smart Gate - how popular is it?

[RooFlyer]

At 10:30pm you should be fine; Recently in the mornings I have seen Smartgate queues with 100+ people in them.

Whhaaaatt ? Melbourne, I'm guessing? Is this a sudden thing / change of arrival timings due to Daylight Saving?

I have had to wait for a SmartGate ticket machine to become available a couple of times (1 person in front, no more than a minute) but never had to queue for the scan, in SYD or MEL for ANY arrival ( Vancouver, LAX, AKL, SIN, HKG) for at least past 2 years.

Last arrival in SYD QF2 arr 6:10 am (one of the first, I know) I was HLO. Time from the plane's door to exit onto the landside: Time of walking + (30 secs at SmartGate ticket machine) + (60 secs at Smart Gate) + (10 secs at customs guy). So, maybe 10-15 mins from plane to taxi.

 

[Hvr]

SmartGate will get you through Immigration in no time, 30 seconds to process, you will get to baggage claim quick then its upto the gods when your bag comes out.

Important note; do not wear glasses when being scanned

I have to wear my glasses and last time through didn't have any problems. As soon as I insert the ticket I stand very still until the camera is finished.

 

[Melburnian1]

Like RooFlyer, I have never had to queue for SmartGate.

Only a minority (of Australians) seem to use it. It would be interesting to see the DIMC figures.

 

[aupirate]

Sshh! dont tell everyone, it's great used in/ out of nz and into oz. Dont want it to get too busy

 

[Joshua]

Since getting a new passport it has NEVER worked, so I usually hit the express path queue. If there is a well developed line then will make the machines fail and go to the customer service desk. Fortunately for me I travel on quiet times apparently, have not had to wait more than 5 minutes.

 

[markis10]

This morning the queue was the busiest I have seen it with 20 or so at BNE, maybe that has something to do with me being last of the plane , still got through and was out in 7 minutes.

 

[here2go]

I have only had the opportunity to use it once as I normally have kids in tow. The only reason I used it was the queue was quicker - two Smart Gates, two people at 0300 in DRW is really quite miserable.

 

[DrA]

Rarely bother. One of the first questions it asks is if you've been in South America or Africa in the last week, and if you say "yes" you get sent to the regular immigration line so they can check your Yellow Fever certificate. Given that they are my main travel destinations for work, I don't even bother with Smart Gate if I've been there because I know it's just going to send me to the regular immigration queue anyway.

Never had a problem with it when I have used it though.

 

[mark62]

Smartgate in Sydney has never worked once for me in 30+ attempts. In Auckland it works about 50% of the time however. I still use it because the smartgate assistance queue is invariably a lot shorter than the normal queue. Last Friday am the normal queues at Sydney were horrendous (stretching back into duty free). The smartgate queue was about 15 people so I got through a lot quicker

 

[serfty]

Whhaaaatt ? Melbourne, I'm guessing? Is this a sudden thing / change of arrival timings due to Daylight Saving? ...

First time I have seen it so popular- this was Sunday morning ~9am (Sept 1).

I used my express card instead.

 

[dk4]

Rarely bother. One of the first questions it asks is if you've been in South America or Africa in the last week, and if you say "yes" you get sent to the regular immigration line so they can check your Yellow Fever certificate.

IME it asks a second question before doing that.

First check is continental, then if you say yes, it lists specific countries.

If you then say yes to a Yellow Fever listed country it then sends you to manual processing, but if you haven't been to one of the specified countries and select no, it allows you to use smartgate.

Why the border agent can't flag the expiry date (of your yellow fever vaccine) in the system, after sighting it the first time, so you can use smartgate in the future, surprises me.

 

[DrA]

IME it asks a second question before doing that.

First check is continental, then if you say yes, it lists specific countries.

If you then say yes to a Yellow Fever listed country it then sends you to manual processing, but if you haven't been to one of the specified countries and select no, it allows you to use smartgate.

Why the border agent can't flag the expiry date (of your yellow fever vaccine) in the system, after sighting it the first time, so you can use smartgate in the future, surprises me.

True enough. But since I've usually been in YF countries, I have to select "yes" to the country specific question as well. Don't know why they can't just make a note attached to my passport number that I've got a valid YF certificate either. It is what it is though, and the OP did ask why people don't seem to be using Smart Gate. Well this is my reason such as it is...I use it when I can.

 

[markis10]

It is what it is though, and the OP did ask why people don't seem to be using Smart Gate. Well this is my reason such as it is...I use it when I can.

I wonder if the designers ask the same question though? Good feedback neverless!