OREANDA-NEWS. May 27, 2014. Getting home from an international trip will become easier and quicker for some travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) Thursday as ATL and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials unveil 74 Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosks in the federal inspection stations in Concourses E and F. Currently, American, Canadian and international travelers with Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval will be allowed to use the new system.

APC is a self-service kiosk that allows passengers to submit their declaration and biographic information electronically and reduce the time they spend with a CBP officer. This has resulted in an average 20-40% decrease in wait times at airports that use APC kiosks.

“We are excited to launch the Automated Passport Control system and are confident that travelers will be pleased with the faster processing speed through Customs,” said Miguel Southwell, Hartsfield-Jackson Interim General Manager. “This new initiative is a critical element in improving overall customer service at the Airport and I’m thankful for the strong partnership we have with the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency."

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection places a significant value on our public-private partnerships and we continue to collaborate on innovations to improve the international arrivals process. The Automated Passport Control kiosks are a prime example of CBP’s private sector partners taking a leadership role in purchasing and deploying a solution that is mutually beneficial for CBP, airline carriers, airport authorities, and international air travelers,” said Stephen Kremer, CBP’s Port Director for the Port of Atlanta.

“These new kiosks will go a long way to improve the overall experience for our international customers coming into Atlanta because they provide a more efficient process for exiting customs,” said John Laughter, Delta's senior vice president – Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance. “We strive to provide our customers with an enjoyable travel experience through all aspects of our operation including customs and border protection checkpoints.”

The APC program was launched in May 2013 at the CBP preclearance facility at Vancouver International Airport. Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) pioneered BorderXpress, an APC system that delivers fully-hosted kiosks to automate the administrative function of the border inspection process, reducing traveler wait times, passenger congestion and airport processing costs. Since the launch, the APC program has been expanded to Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Chicago Midway, Miami, John F. Kennedy, Dallas Fort Worth, Montreal, Toronto, Fort Lauderdale, Charlotte, Houston, Seattle and Orlando international airports.

“We’re proud to pioneer innovative solutions that help airports throughout North America enhance the travel experience – including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the world,” said Craig Richmond, President & CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority. “With our product now implemented in ten airport terminals across the country, BorderXpress - an Automated Passport Control (APC) System - shows how collaboration with partners like U.S. Customs and Border Protection modernizes travel and reduces passenger wait times.”

The process is easy. Eligible passengers proceed directly to a self-service APC kiosk in the passport control area. Passengers will be prompted to scan their passports, use the kiosk’s camera to take a photograph, answer simple biographic and flight information questions, and complete the standard Customs Declaration questions using the kiosk’s touch-screen. Passengers using APC no longer need to fill out a paper Customs Declaration form. The kiosk will give passengers a receipt that they will provide, along with their passports, to a CBP officer to finalize their inspection for entry into the U.S.

The APC allows a traveler to enter his or her biographic information prior to speaking with a CBP officer. The CBP officer is then able to focus on identity verification, admissibility and questioning to determine purpose and intent of travel, thereby reducing processing times.

“TBI is flattered that Hartsfield-Jackson chose us to provide project management for the largest installation of Automated Passport Control Kiosks in the U.S. The completion of the project more than two weeks earlier than the very aggressive 1 June targeted date, is testimony to the partnership that exists between the DOA, CBP, Delta Air Lines, the international airline community and TBI Airport Management. We look forward to the positive impact it will have on our already efficient CBP processing times.”

TBI managed the RFP/procurement process and provided project management. In addition TBI will oversee the day-to-day operations of the APC kiosks.

The APC does not require pre-approval to participate and is free to use.

CBP processed more than 4.6 million international arrivals at ATL during fiscal year 2013.

Visit CBP’s Travel website at www.cbp.gov/travel, for more information on what to expect during a CBP admissions inspection and general rules for products admissible and prohibited to the United States.

For b-roll video and photographs of the Automated Passport Control, please contact reese.mccranie@atlanta-airport.com