Developing and delivering solutions for modernized border management

Managing the pressures of increased passenger growth without compromising security screening and border control

The safety and security of our borders continues to be top-of-mind for industry professionals and can be impacted by two important factors – increasing passenger traffic and changing government regulations.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the number of passengers transported by airlines will reach 8.2 billion in 2037, an increase from 7.8 billion in 2036. In Europe, the impending European Union Entry/Exit System requirements are scheduled to launch in 2020. The region has heightened its emphasis on modernizing border management as it seeks to help member states plan for increased traffic flow and reinforce security infrastructure.

In order to keep pace, border agencies, governments and industry decision-makers must evolve and innovate. Now is the time to embrace technology and to consider an automated border control solution such as border kiosks that unites security, efficiency and innovation.

Industry-Leading Border Management Technology

Vancouver International Airport (YVR), voted the Best Airport in North America for nine consecutive years, understands the value of technology in ensuring that passengers clear the border safely and securely. Innovative Travel Solutions (ITS) is an independent business unit of YVR that specializes in delivering industry-leading travel technology to transform the traveller’s experience, while keeping safety at the forefront.

Developed by ITS, BORDERXPRESS is a biometric-enabled kiosk solution that uses an efficient two-step process to expedite the border clearance process, reducing passenger wait times by more than 60 per cent. The kiosks accept all passports, require no pre-registration or fees, and have been designed with high levels of safety, security, documentation authentication and data protection in mind. BORDERXPRESS also provides better exception handling, is fully accessible to persons with disabilities, and can be configured with up to 35 different languages. It can process any passenger, including families travelling as a group.

Biometrics, including fingerprints and photographs of the face, significantly increase the security of the border by collecting physical characteristics of an individual which when captured in a database, can be used to verify the identity or check against other entities in the database. More than 70 countries around the world use the collection of biometrics as part of their immigration program.

The implementation of BORDERXPRESS kiosks result in overall operating efficiency and space savings because the kiosks allow airports to expand passenger traffic without having to add additional terminal space or staffing resources – a challenge facing airports around the world.

The kiosks also allow border officers to focus on maintaining the safety of the border and intelligence efforts – key priority areas when governments are looking to automation.

Since 2009, ITS has sold over 1,600 kiosks at 42 airport and seaport locations around the world, helping more than 250 million passengers clear the border safely and securely.

A Collaborative Approach Leads to Success in Europe

ITS recently expanded into Europe with the installation of 74 BORDERXPRESS kiosks at Pafos International Airport and Larnaka International Airport in Cyprus. This represented the first implementation of permanent kiosks for entry and exit border control in the European Union, and thus is a major milestone for ITS, as well as Cyprus and Europe as a whole.

The collaboration between Hermes Airports, which operates both Pafos and Larnaka airports, its partners in the Cyprus government, and ITS, has been integral throughout the process. Initial feedback from both airports shows that lines have essentially been eliminated and there are positive results across several key customer satisfaction metrics. By working together, partners in the global airport and border security industries can achieve a solution that balances the need for secure and efficient border control solutions.

Innovative technology like BORDERXPRESS can make passenger processing more efficient – not only for air travel, but also sea and rail travel, where border management is also critical. It can also be configured to meet the immigration needs of any government in the world. This is especially important when you consider the complexities associated with the new European Union Entry/Exit System.

The success that ITS has experienced in Cyprus has opened additional opportunities in Europe to optimize the border clearance process.

Modernizing Border Management for Tomorrow

As increased travel and changing regulations impact border management needs at airports and other ports of entry around the world, the role that technology plays in modernizing border management is even more important. With coordination and effort between Government, airports and private agencies, it is clear solutions like BORDEREXPRESS can be implemented seamlessly, improving efficiencies and security, while evolving with the changing needs and pace of tomorrow‘s traveller.

Follow