Automated Border Control FRA
Apr 8, 2016, 6:33 pm
#31
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,956
Can anyone tell me what the point of getting EasyPASS access is for US citizens? From what I'm reading online, US citizens will be shown a special icon in the e-gate which will force you to wait for someone to come open the gate for you and then you still have to get your passport stamped.
So the only thing I see this saving is possibly 10 seconds waiting in line for an officer to scan your passport and still stamp it.
I go through FRA a lot and I currently have 4 connections through there planned in the next 4 weeks between US-Europe and Europe-Asia as well. I have plenty of time on my first connection through FRA to leave the secure area and sign up for the program. I just don't see a real point if I'm still going to need my passport stamped and I've never once seen a line more than 2 minutes long to see an immigration official.
My goal of this would be to either a) save a lot of time; b) save a lot of pages in my already almost full passport. It doesn't seem to do either.
Thanks in advance,
RM
So the only thing I see this saving is possibly 10 seconds waiting in line for an officer to scan your passport and still stamp it.
I go through FRA a lot and I currently have 4 connections through there planned in the next 4 weeks between US-Europe and Europe-Asia as well. I have plenty of time on my first connection through FRA to leave the secure area and sign up for the program. I just don't see a real point if I'm still going to need my passport stamped and I've never once seen a line more than 2 minutes long to see an immigration official.
My goal of this would be to either a) save a lot of time; b) save a lot of pages in my already almost full passport. It doesn't seem to do either.
Thanks in advance,
RM
Jan 15, 2018, 2:22 am
#33
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,636
Was leaving Germany in FRA T2 two months ago.
They now have four eGates installed in the All Passport queue and these eGates are available to passport holders of certain non-EU countries (US included). Unlike easyPass-RTP, no prior enrollment and background check required.
The problem is the person who glances are passport covers and directs passengers to either the EU-only or All Passport queues are sending easyPass-RTP members to All Passports. It took about 10-15 minutes to get thru passport control even with the All Passport eGates while there was no wait at the EU-only eGates.
Anybody experienced the following? I’ve just sent an email to easyPass-RTP in FRA for clarification.
They now have four eGates installed in the All Passport queue and these eGates are available to passport holders of certain non-EU countries (US included). Unlike easyPass-RTP, no prior enrollment and background check required.
The problem is the person who glances are passport covers and directs passengers to either the EU-only or All Passport queues are sending easyPass-RTP members to All Passports. It took about 10-15 minutes to get thru passport control even with the All Passport eGates while there was no wait at the EU-only eGates.
Anybody experienced the following? I’ve just sent an email to easyPass-RTP in FRA for clarification.