It appears that DL is aggressively rolling out the new APC units made by YVR. ATL, BOS, DTW, LAX, MSP are new stations while JFK is receiving additional equipment.

Here's the press release: http://news.delta.com/2014-06-24-Del...Automated-Passport-Control-Program

How does this program compare with NEXUS or Global Entry and how are the wait times in the FIS now that these systems have rolled out? Are these kiosks making it easier for Americans returning home?

Its not just Delta. Everyone is buying them, from airlines like United also to airport themselves such as MIA, DFW and YVR.

Delta did not invent nor do they own these machines so the title is misleading. They helped pay for them at the airport terminals where they operate (i.e. JFK Terminal 4).

I've used them a week after they were deployed at JFK Terminal 4 last year and I used them at JFK Terminal 1 this year. They greatly speed up the immigration process and the lines using the machines move quite fast. The only difference I observed compared to Nexus was they had a separate line with fewer people, probably because so few travelers have signed up for it.

However, this doesn't change anything with the second line to go through customs, which I believe even Nexus card holders must go through, too.

Quoting max999 (Reply 2): However, this doesn't change anything with the second line to go through customs, which I believe even Nexus card holders must go through, too.

Global Entry/NEXUS members get priority at customs as well. Every gateway I've passed through has a separate lane post-baggage claim directing GE members through a significantly shorter line. Has saved me a ton of time.

It's at the end of this line where GE members hand over their receipt from the Global Entry kiosk.

UA just announced they rolled them out at EWR, 20 with 10 more this Summer. IAH and ORD also have the kiosks.

http://newsroom.unitedcontinentalhol...-Wait-Times-for-New-York-Travelers

Quoting max999 (Reply 2): However, this doesn't change anything with the second line to go through customs, which I believe even Nexus card holders must go through, too.

Global Entry has a priority lane to Customs to collect the receipt after visiting the kiosk, as well as a priority lane when clearing Agriculture. Both priority lanes have saved me a hell of a lot of time on multiple occasions, but GE membership has increased quite a lot since I got it a few years ago. So, that is still a membership benefit over the standard lanes even with kiosks.

Quoting max999 (Reply 2): Delta did not invent nor do they own these machines so the title is misleading. They helped pay for them at the airport terminals where they operate (i.e. JFK Terminal 4).

Agreed. UA just as aggressively rolled them out. The title should be changed to drop Delta.

Quoting STT757 (Reply 4): UA just announced they rolled them out at EWR, 20 with 10 more this Summer. IAH and ORD also have the kiosks. http://newsroom.unitedcontinentalhol...-Wait-Times-for-New-York-Travelers

It would be nice if Terminal B at EWR would get them.

I wasn't aware other carriers were rolling them out. That's great news.

Quoting LAXintl (Reply 1): Delta did not invent nor do they own these machines so the title is misleading. They helped pay for them at the airport terminals where they operate (i.e. JFK Terminal 4).

Other airlines are able to use the kiosks that DL paid for. They're in discussions with the Port Authority concerning how how they will be reimbursed.

Delta did not share the cash value of its investment, but Grimmett said Delta "paid for the systems upfront, and we're working with the Port Authority and JFK IAT [International Air Terminal] to figure out appropriate reimbursement." The terminal is a common-use facility, so passengers arriving on other carriers also can make use of the kiosks.



[Edited 2014-06-24 15:07:04]

Quoting TPA0822 (Reply 9): Delta did not share the cash value of its investment, but Grimmett said Delta "paid for the systems upfront, and we're working with the Port Authority and JFK IAT [International Air Terminal] to figure out appropriate reimbursement." The terminal is a common-use facility, so passengers arriving on other carriers also can make use of the kiosks.

Guess they should put fences up around their boarding areas so other airline customers can't sit in their chairs or use their power stations either. No one made them invest the money so why should they get money out of the airport authority?

Isn't it the airports pay for this? DFW is paying for it and they are even installing the ones with biometric ones so visa waiver countries and US PR can use those ones too.

AT ORD the airlines paid for the kiosks, pay for the network admin and ongoing maintenance cost, it's a shared cost to all.

The key to these are getting the 3rd generation ones with bio-metrics. Then both USC and passengers which fall under the visa waiver program can use them.

Best thing since sliced bread....and yes, they pay for themselves within a year.

I would appreciate if somebody could give me some explanations here because I'm completely confused  
We are talking about immigration passport control arriving from an int'l flight here, right ?
If yes, why an airline is installing such kiosks and not the US government agency in charge of those controls ?
So basically, any airline can buy and install their kiosks at arrival like a check-in kiosk ???
What is the difference with Global entry ?
Who is eligible ? Only US citizens ? Only the pax of the airline owning the kiosks ? Code-share, alliance or JV partners ?

Sorry for the number of questions, but I'm sure I'm missing something because, at that stage, it makes no sense to me  

Quoting goldorak (Reply 13): I would appreciate if somebody could give me some explanations here because I'm completely confused We are talking about immigration passport control arriving from an int'l flight here, right ?

Yes

Quoting goldorak (Reply 13): If yes, why an airline is installing such kiosks and not the US government agency in charge of those controls ?

Because some airports face incredibly long delays clearing customs due to short staffing caused by the budget issues going on in Congress in recent years. It came to a boiling point when many officers were furloughed during the government shutdown. Airlines are investing in these kiosks to expedite the process for their passengers, and the kiosks are approved by US Customs & Border Protection. CBP still regulates them (to my knowledge), but their existence is at the expense of the airline to benefit its customers.

Quoting goldorak (Reply 13): So basically, any airline can buy and install their kiosks at arrival like a check-in kiosk ???

The use of kiosks purchased by airlines has been limited, but is expanding. It's only done at airports with a clear need -- the usual culprits of JFK, EWR, ORD, MIA, LAX, and so on.

Quoting goldorak (Reply 13): What is the difference with Global entry ? Who is eligible ? Only US citizens ? Only the pax of the airline owning the kiosks ? Code-share, alliance or JV partners ?

Global Entry is a completely different animal. It is a CBP membership program for frequent international travelers. I have had it for about three or four years. It requires an interview and in-depth background check by the US Department of Homeland Security. Once authorized, GE holders can utilize CBP maintained kiosks (completely separate from the aforementioned airline kiosks) using dedicated lanes. I don't need to fill out the white I-94 form when re-entering the US, as the kiosk takes its place, only asking five simple questions on the kiosk. It prints a receipt with an image of my face taken by the kiosk, which is given to the CBP officer. A dedicated lane is also open to clear US Customs and Agriculture after collecting your checked luggage. The whole process has saved my ass on several occasions -- two or three times of which I would have missed connections without it.

Global Entry is eligible for US citizens, lawful permanent residents, Dutch citizens (due to their similar reciprocal program), South Korean citizens, and Mexican citizens. Canadians receive the same benefits of GE through a similar CBP program called NEXUS, which expedites entry into the US on the northern border (SENTRI is program for the southern US border).

Another benefit is that it allows access into TSA PreCheck, which allows passengers clearing security checkpoints to keep shoes on, leave laptops and liquids inside their bags, leave on belts, etc. and only clear the metal detectors (no advanced imaging systems). Because of the interview, the odds of getting PreCheck are greatly increased -- I've had a 100% success rate on at least 60-80 tries. The system will randomly remove passengers into the normal screening lane, so an eligible passenger without Global Entry may only have a 50-80% success rate, but that varies.

Hopefully that clears things up a little.

Salut goldorak

My understanding is that airport authorities+CBP+airlines try to smoothen the "immigration" part of the process for US citizens but also for the visa-waiver holders (like us French = good news!)

CBP gave the OK for the kiosks but when it comes to money, US gov favors public-private partnership, hence private companies like airlines have to fund the system if they want to benefit from it.

It would be this side of the Atlantic everybody would yell = since it's a government mission, the government has to fund it alone (like the PARAFE passport control we have here at CDG )

Also if UA pays for the kiosks at EWR, UA customers will be the main users but I guess LH or TP flights landing at EWR can use the kiosks too.
The same for DL at ATL: I guess AF pax can use them too

I am not sure they will separate pax entering CBP hall between UA or DL and non UA non DL, that would be odd.

Quoting atcsundevil (Reply 14): Hopefully that clears things up a little.

Quoting varig md-11 (Reply 15): Salut goldorak

Thanks a lot to both of you   Very helpful and clear explanations.
I travel a lot to the US but have never seen those kiosks yet. I will definitely pay attention next time.

My son and I arrived JFK on DL from NRT yesterday and were amazed by the efficiency, compared to 2 years ago, especially in the old DL dungeons (oops, terminals). No waiting for 50 minutes when 5 flights arrive at once ...

I have GOES (and have a green card) while he is a US citizen and used the kiosk.

2 minutes after arriving at the machines we were out the door to baggage claim, 3 minutes later our bags arrived and then 2 more minutes and we were out!

It took much longer for us to walk from our arrivals gate to the customs hall than to get through (hint, DL, that needs to be addressed somehow -- moving sidewalk, perhaps ..)

It seems that for once CBP is trying to make things better ... thank you.

Quoting atcsundevil (Reply 5): Global Entry has a priority lane to Customs to collect the receipt after visiting the kiosk, as well as a priority lane when clearing Agriculture.

I believe this is very airport dependent. I've enter the US through SFO and Toronto using GE and neither had dedicated lines for Customs as far as I could see.

BTW - the mods seem to have a flexible definition on what constitutes an appropriate thread for this forum. I started a very similar topic a few weeks back and it was relocated to the backwater of the Travel forum.

I used the kiosks at ORD last month after arriving on a United flight. When I saw the line, my heart sank, but we were pushed through pretty quick. Some folks looked at the kiosks as if they were snapping alligators and wouldn't go near them. Ground agents just called others willing to use the machines to the front of the line, so we moved right through. We made it through customs very quickly.

Well you have YVR to thank for these wonderful system. It's a innovation in how passports are processed. Instead of the officer checking the computer if you're good to go , it checks government data base before an officer see you. You get a printed receipt and if all good no interview. If they get a hit they they pull you over. They can processe more people and giving officers more time for people of interest. This is just one of YVR innovation, helping other airport with there immigration lineups. YVR is the leader in this kind of system and have sold to the majority of large US airports JFK, ORD. Now if they can just solve the security check point line, life would be wonderful again. Sorry, just had to boast about my home airport.

Quoting varig md-11 (Reply 15): My understanding is that airport authorities CBP airlines try to smoothen the "immigration" part of the process for US citizens but also for the visa-waiver holders (like us French = good news!)

CLT installed 24 kiosks in May according to the below article and foreign travelers from primarily Europe should now be able to use them.

http://wfae.org/post/clt-airport-ins...-new-passport-kiosks-shorten-lines

Quoting qblue (Reply 20): Well you have YVR to thank for these wonderful system. It's a innovation in how passports are processed. Instead of the officer checking the computer if you're good to go , it checks government data base before an officer see you. You get a printed receipt and if all good no interview. If they get a hit they they pull you over. They can processe more people and giving officers more time for people of interest. This is just one of YVR innovation, helping other airport with there immigration lineups. YVR is the leader in this kind of system and have sold to the majority of large US airports JFK, ORD. Now if they can just solve the security check point line, life would be wonderful again. Sorry, just had to boast about my home airport.

Weren't Europeans doing this kind of thing before? They always had e-gates as far as I know which is the same functionality. In fact I think Europeans way is better in the sense that it is kind of gated with single lines with the agent watching you all the time doing the transaction so that you do not have to have paper output and then queue up to CBP agent like US does.

Quoting goldorak (Reply 16): [Thanks a lot to both of you /quote] Glad I could help clear it up! [quote=glbltrvlr,reply=18]I believe this is very airport dependent. I've enter the US through SFO and Toronto using GE and neither had dedicated lines for Customs as far as I could see.

The last time I cleared in SFO was around six months ago and they did indeed have a dedicated Global Entry lane for Immigration and Customs with five kiosks. Toronto may be different because it's Preclearance? I would imagine a large number of passengers flying YYZ-US would either have GE or NEXUS, so I'm not sure why there would not be kiosks. Every location I have ever cleared has had dedicated lanes, but I've never done Preclearance.

Quoting qblue (Reply 20):

Easy tiger; I'm a YVR homer as much as the next guy, but you don't want to hurt your knees  

Quoting AirDFW (Reply 22): Weren't Europeans doing this kind of thing before? They always had e-gates as far as I know which is the same functionality. In fact I think Europeans way is better in the sense that it is kind of gated with single lines with the agent watching you all the time doing the transaction so that you do not have to have paper output and then queue up to CBP agent like US does.

Personally, I've never seen that at the European airports I've flown through. Usually just a very bored guard waving people though. Then again, I hold a European passport.

Quoting atcsundevil (Reply 23): The last time I cleared in SFO was around six months ago and they did indeed have a dedicated Global Entry lane for Immigration and Customs with five kiosks. Toronto may be different because it's Preclearance? I would imagine a large number of passengers flying YYZ-US would either have GE or NEXUS, so I'm not sure why there would not be kiosks. Every location I have ever cleared has had dedicated lanes, but I've never done Preclearance.

My experience at YVR preclearance is that for GE / Nexus there's a lane to the far right of the preclearance building, with machines that are usually broken. So you're just put in an 'express line' so to speak with an officer waiting. You'd frequently hear calls of "Nexus! Global Entry!" as they're calling anyone with membership to a dedicated officer or two.

Quoting atcsundevil (Reply 23): The last time I cleared in SFO was around six months ago and they did indeed have a dedicated Global Entry lane for Immigration and Customs with five kiosks.

I think you are misunderstanding the question. SFO does indeed have GE at the Immigration hall. The kiosks are located along the left wall. The question I am asking is whether there is a dedicated GE line at Customs, after the bag belts. As far as I can recall, everyone gets routed by the one of two Customs agents in the center of the hall.

Quoting Opethfan (Reply 24): Personally, I've never seen that at the European airports I've flown through. Usually just a very bored guard waving people though. Then again, I hold a European passport.

I thought I saw in one of the trip reports from Scandinavia (Finland or somewhere) and also if I google e-gate there seems to be a ton of pics with automated gates seem to be from Euro area showing the automated but more orderly gates for clearing immigration.

Quoting usflyguy (Reply 10): Guess they should put fences up around their boarding areas so other airline customers can't sit in their chairs or use their power stations either

Sounds reasonable to me.

Quoting glbltrvlr (Reply 25): I think you are misunderstanding the question. SFO does indeed have GE at the Immigration hall. The kiosks are located along the left wall. The question I am asking is whether there is a dedicated GE line at Customs, after the bag belts. As far as I can recall, everyone gets routed by the one of two Customs agents in the center of the hall.

And as I said, "they did indeed have a dedicated Global Entry lane for Immigration and Customs with five kiosks." Implying that there were lanes for both Immigration and for Customs. When I last cleared, there was a lane marked with the GE logo sharing an officer with the standard lane to exit the customs area/baggage claim.

Quoting Opethfan (Reply 24): Personally, I've never seen that at the European airports I've flown through. Usually just a very bored guard waving people though. Then again, I hold a European passport.

I used it at LHR last year (arrived from ARN). Worked well and the best thing was that
we (my family and I) were completely alone (except for a guard monitoring the room).

So passport control went very fast.

Used these machines a week ago at ORD when arriving on an IB flight.

US citizens, greencard holders, Canadians, and I think folks who'd gone through ESTA (or something similar) where herded through to the machines.

Went very fast--I was very impressed, and even without Global Entry I was through in minutes.

Quoting jcwr56 (Reply 12): Best thing since sliced bread

  

Used these machines a week ago at ORD when arriving on an IB flight.

US citizens, greencard holders, Canadians, and I think folks who'd gone through ESTA (or something similar) where herded through to the machines.

Went very fast--I was very impressed, and even without Global Entry I was through in minutes.

Quoting jcwr56 (Reply 12): Best thing since sliced bread

  

Quoting Braniff747SP (Reply 31): Went very fast--I was very impressed, and even without Global Entry I was through in minutes.

I will second that coming through the terminal F customs at ATL this week. Took less than 10 minutes to get through despite the fact that I was selected for extra screening. Far and away better than the old process.

Quoting atcsundevil (Reply 28): When I last cleared, there was a lane marked with the GE logo sharing an officer with the standard lane to exit the customs area/baggage claim.

I expect I'll be returning through SFO sometime in the next month - will keep an eye out for it.

Quoting AirDFW (Reply 26):

Quoting thunderboltdrgn (Reply 29):

Now that you mention it... I do recall seeing what looked like an airlock near the passport checks at CDG... but I believe they were marked as being for French citizens only. I don't go to Europe too often, as may be obvious by now.

Quoting Opethfan (Reply 34): Now that you mention it... I do recall seeing what looked like an airlock near the passport checks at CDG... but I believe they were marked as being for F rench citizens only. I don't go to Europe too often, as may be obvious by now.

It is for EU (+Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtst.) citizens only and you need to
be aged 18 or older and have an e-passport:

Quote: E-passport gates – arrivals made easy Automated e-passport gates offer an alternative to conventional passport checks. Simply scan your e-passport at the barrier. The system runs a face-recognition check against the chip in your passport, then if you're eligible to enter the UK the gate opens automatically – all in a matter of seconds. You need to be over 18 and have an e-passport (look for the 'chip' logo on the front) issued by a country in the European Economic Area* or Switzerland.

http://www.heathrowairport.com/heath...ssengers/immigration-and-passports

[Edited 2014-06-27 14:08:22]

Quoting max999 (Reply 2): Delta did not invent nor do they own these machines so the title is misleading. They helped pay for them at the airport terminals where they operate (i.e. JFK Terminal 4).

Well, the topic is about Delta's roll out, not United's, not anyone else's... So, it's not misleading. No where does the OP refer to it as "Delta's" system. The OP says DL is rolling out "the" APC

Quoting thunderboltdrgn (Reply 35): It is for EU (+Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtst.) citizens only

Looks like the UK has opened their system up to a few more countries, but you have to had enrolled in their now defunct IRIS program to be eligible:

https://www.registered-traveller.homeoffice.gov.uk/customer/guidance

[Edited 2014-06-27 14:41:52]

Quoting thunderboltdrgn (Reply 35):

Well that explains it. My other half doesn't have an E-passport so that's probably why I avoided it.

Quoting cjg225 (Reply 36):

Exactly. OP said:

Quoting ThomasMTroxell (Thread starter): the new APC units made by YVR.

Dumb Question:

Can anyone use these kiosks, or are they access controlled in some way ala Global Entry?

Quoting CV880 (Reply 21): CLT installed 24 kiosks in May according to the below article and foreign travelers from primarily Europe should now be able to use them.

Thanks for your answer and the link CV880
CLT has already a good reputation as a gateway to the US, now they have the kiosks = good way forward