Originally Posted by
Xyzzy
That sounds like what I experienced at ORD -- the "kiosk" was basically a raised screen with a camera. The screen showed a box around people it saw and then a green check mark when it recognized you (almost instantly) as you walked by. It was followed by an officer wh
handed out passes that were subsequently collected at the exit of the customs hall.
The old kiosks lined up along the wall are backup units to the newer tablet that take your picture and then give you a green to go or see an agent if something isn't right. ORD will add 2 more GE tablets within a month or so.
Without hijacking, there's now a new program for USC's only called EPP (Enhanced Passenger Processing). It's a similar concept like GE using tablets and taking a picture but without background checks and interviews. ORD has 4 of these machines operational and have reduced processing times down to 15 seconds a passenger. You still talk with an officer, but they have been given the ok to skip questions if the green light comes on. A red light gets you referred to a booth.
Since April 28th when this started at ORD, there's been little to no waiting (random sampling is 12 minutes for peak times with 2800 pax per hour) for USC coming in. DFW, CLT and DEN have this setup too, but not with the numbers ORD is pushing through.