Vancouver Airport Authority (VAA), a provider of automated passport control (APC) technology, has upgraded its BorderXpress kiosks at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.
The APC kiosks are now capable of processing visa-carrying travelers including business or tourist visa holders, Mexican travelers with border crossing cards, and foreign airline crew members. Prior to the upgrade, only US and Canadian passport holders, US lawful permanent residents and 38 visa waiver countries outlined by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were eligible to use the kiosks. Now virtually all international arrivals can use the machines.
Hartsfield-Jackson’s 74 BorderXpress APC kiosks were first introduced in May 2014 and now process more than 70% of the airport’s international passengers. The kiosks have also helped shorten customs lines and overall airport wait times by up to 50%. With the introduction of the APC Phase 4.0 and the ability to serve almost all travelers, the airport is expecting to further decrease wait times, resulting in a better travel experience for passengers.
Craig Richmond, president and CEO of VAA, said, “We’re very excited to work with our airport partners like Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to improve their border experience for passengers. Our innovative travel solutions team will continue to deliver new products and solutions to airports to make air travel easier and cut wait times.”