20 Self-Service Kiosks reduce wait times in US Customs pre-clearance.
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Lynden Pindling International Airport‘s Automated Passport Control (APC) system officially went live yesterday, allowing US-bound travelers to be processed up to four times faster.
Officials expect the new technology – available in only one other airport in the Caribbean – to go a long way in slashing wait times, improving the airport’s efficiency and ultimately providing a more enjoyable experience for millions of visitors passing through the U.S. pre-clearance facility at LPIA.
Provided by Vancouver Airport Authority, BorderXpress Automated Passport Control is a self-service kiosk technology, which enables U.S. and Canadian passport holders and other eligible travelers to complete a portion of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) inspection process electronically, expediting the border clearance process.
“APC will greatly improve our ability to process passengers through the airport. The demand for the destination continues to grow and with more than 3.2 million passengers traveling through LPIA on an annual basis, we want to ensure that their experience at our airport is a positive one,” explains Vernice Walkine, President & CEO at Nassau Airport Development Company. “Making the investment in 20 APC kiosks just makes sense from a passenger management perspective as the move will drastically reduce wait times in an area impacting more than 80% of our total airport traffic. The technology will benefit the destination for years to come.”
Aside from U.S. and Canadian passport holders, passengers eligible to use the new technology include all U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents and Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approved passport holders – international travelers from 38 countries not requiring U.S. entry visas for stays of 90 days or less.
The new system does not require travelers to complete a paper U.S. customs declaration form, as all questions are answered on the computer’s touch screen.
Travelers simply follow the on-screen instructions to scan their passport, answer the customs declaration questions, have their photo taken and receive a confirmation receipt, which they then show to a CBP officer to finalize processing.
On hand for today’s ribbon cutting ceremony was the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Transport & Aviation, who commended the partners at NAD, Ministry of Tourism, Nassau Paradise Islands Promotion Board and the Airline Operators Committee for funding the kiosks. Alan Sweeting, President of the Airline Operators Committee at LPIA, also expressed enthusiasm for the impact of the BorderXpress kiosks on airline operations.
Six new workers were also hired by NAD as APC Ambassadors to assist travelers with the use of the kiosks. The new technology required extensive training for NAD’s IT Department on the installation and maintenance of the 20 BorderXpress APC kiosks, and five Document Verification Officer (DVO) podiums provided by Vancouver Airport Authority’s Innovative Travel Solutions team.
Also present at yesterday’s ribbon cutting were Craig Richmond, President and CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority, and George Casey, President and CEO of Vantage Airport Group, the YVR associate company that manages LPIA.
Vancouver Airport Authority’s BorderXpress is the travel industry’s leading self-service border solution. Launched at Vancouver International Airport in 2012, BorderXpress kiosks are currently available at a total of 20 airport locations across North America and the Caribbean, including New York’s John F. Kennedy International, Los Angeles International, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International and the world’s two busiest airports, Chicago O’Hare International and Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
