Friday, July 9, 2010

Speedier arrival clearance likely in NZ

Stuff’s online Businessday service reports that passengers flying in to New Zealand
from Australia will be able to skip the baggage X-ray queue from next year.

The move could eventually see all international passengers bypassing biosecurity X-rays here. Biosecurity officials will instead be able to review Xrays taken at overseas airports before passengers board planes to New Zealand.

MAF is about to go to market for a system that will let it pre-screen X-rays of stowed baggage while pax are en route to NZ. Spokeswoman Kathy Dyer says the system
will be introduced for passengers departing Brisbane Airport in early 2011, with other Australian airports expected to join the scheme subsequently.

It will allow passengers to make a speedier exit from the airport because MAF’s
systems will recognise which bags have been pre-screened, and sniffer dogs and other tools would be used to check hand luggage.

At this stage, the system will be introduced for “low-risk trans-Tasman flights only”, but a number of international airports, including in Singapore, Hong Kong,
Vancouver and Chile, have expressed interest in the initiative.

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