Originally Posted by
Mats
It seems like this could be set up for a reasonable trial:
Let's take a UA 71 from Amsterdam to Newark.
That fight arrives today at EWR C121. No need to change terminals for most domestic and international connections.
There needs to be a segregation of "clean" arrivals in the second-storey corridor at Newark. I'm not sure how that can be arranged. But there needs to be a "clean'" passageway to the immigration hall so that Amsterdam passengers do not interact with other arriving passengers.
The passengers use kiosks and clear immigration within a "clean arrivals" section of the immigration hall.
The passenger proceeds upstairs through a sterile passageway to the C concourse, never interacting with passengers from "unclean" origins.
The passenger has not had access to his or her checked baggage.
From what I can see, the issues are architectural. How does one keep the "clean" and "unclean" passengers separate?
I think it depends how many clean vs unclean flights there are. I suspect (but have no idea the actual numbers) that the vast majority of flights arriving in EWR are from "clean" countries (especially since those are more likely to have higher frequencies too), so it might come down to designating one of the terminals, or having a few gates that can have their paths cordoned. This whole concept is more feasible if "most" flights are clean, less so if not. And as you mentioned, there also needs to be a path from the exit of the CBP stations to secure airside that doesn't allow you to re-enter from the baggage area.