Olea Kiosks has launched an automated customs kiosk for airports and international transportation hubs. The Automated Passport Solution (APS) is a customs kiosk that will streamline the way passengers enter the airport or other international hubs and get cleared by customs in remarkable time. The APS customs kiosk will make its debut at Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) airport. Thirty such kiosks will be deployed and passengers flying out of DFW can expect see a welcomed decrease in the amount of time it takes to get cleared through customs.
Now Is the Time for Customs Kiosks
The increase in the number of international travelers departing from the United States has been 117% over the last 20 years. Unfortunately, there have also been budget cuts in customs and border protection departments of almost $754 million in just the last year alone. Some airports in the United States have even seen the time it takes to clear customs exceed 180 minutes.
Enter the Automated Customs Kiosk
APS customs kiosks offer a way to streamline the customs process and increase accuracy of the transaction. Utilizing a touchscreen interface, the APS can scan a passenger’s passport utilizing a peripheral scanner and collect the necessary data from the passport. This data is immediately crosschecked against customs databases to validate the passenger’s information. If the passenger passes the initial screen, then they must respond to a battery of questions very similar to what is normally asked by a human customs officer. Auxiliary components can also be installed such as webcams that can record the entire transaction. Printers can also be attached to provide a printout of the results of the transaction.
According to an a report by the Global Gateway Alliance, a group that monitors terminal traffic in the New York area, customs kiosks reduced wait times by 22%. [1] Furthermore, the chairman of the Alliance is happy with the results and is urging more airports to adopt customs kiosks. The 22% improvement was based on observation in the New York area alone; however, customs officials in other areas have reported anecdotal evidence to suggest that the time savings could be closer to the range of 25-40%.
Olea’s Metrolite Customs Kiosk
This new offering is built on the tried-and-true Metrolite Kiosk platform. It is built in the United States and is known for its easy-to-integrate peripherals and ability to adapt to custom applications. Governments and customs officials worldwide can now depend on this system to adapt to any of their specific needs and achieve greater, more efficient levels of security and traveler satisfaction.
Given the current environment where international travel is increasing, yet while government budgets are decreasing, the APS customs kiosk is a great way for airports to meet the needs of both of their customers and the necessary security objectives of customs officials.
Reference:
[1] https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2015-04-03/do-self-service-kiosks-at-airport-customs-actually-save-time-jfk-newark
