International passengers arriving at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas can now clear Customs and Border Protection (CBP) up to 40% faster thanks to a new ‘One-Stop’ screening process.
One-Stop allows arriving international passengers to pick up their checked luggage first before visiting the CBP admissibility booth, where both the passenger and their luggage are cleared all in one step.
The airport is among a few in the US to use One-Stop for all arriving international passengers, allowing CBP officials in Austin-Bergstrom to clear travelers up to 40% faster than the traditional two-stop process.
Patti Edwards, COO for Austin-Bergstrom Airport, said, “The whole intent is to speed up the process. This new One-Stop process allows for the security that CBP needs and at the same time, streamlines the process for passengers coming through, making it quicker and more efficient for them and allowing the airport to provide better customer service.”
At most other airports, a two-stop process is practiced where passengers first visit a CBP admissibility booth, showing their passport and other documents to clear as a passenger, only to pick up luggage and then go through additional screenings of their baggage.
Richard Mendez, CBP port director for Austin-Bergstrom Airport, said, “For a port our size, it helps us a lot with staffing because we don’t have to have two groups of officers in two different areas. Most passengers think this is a great process, while others are still learning about it. Passengers arrive just expecting to go through the admissibility process first. They’re not used to going through one process. So we’re re-educating the passengers with the help of overhead announcements, both on the plane and in the CBP facility. Airport customer service representatives help with queuing and answering questions, and signage is being developed to help with way finding.”