SYD Express immigration

[serfty]

Similar to what happened to Jenny and I at SYD (see post #10).

I was thinking they possibly (?) zeroed on on our WP/SG tags on our rollaboards.

 

[mzy]

I was handed both outwards and inwards express cards when I check in this morning at the Sydney QF counter.

M

 

[simongr]

No card offered on board NRT-SYD but lots of signs at SYD. I used my card and it was a godsend - arriving at 8AM on a Saturday morning - lots of people.

There was some confusion as to whether the Duty free lane was still in operation as people were being told the DF lane was just for Epass pax...

I was through quarantine in 1 minute

65 mins from landing to my house

 

[Febs]

Any APEC card-holders finding significant delays due to these new express forms?

A friend who works for Customs said previously, the APEC card queue was almost always empty, but now it's full of pax holding the express cards given to them by their airline.

Anyone found the same? Or is it still relatively quick compared to the regular queues (I usually use the DF queue and bypass the huge queues, don't know why everyone else doesn't? )

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[simongr]

I actually saw people exiting duty free to go into the normal - Non-Oz citizen queues on saturday morning. I guess the lack of non-English signs doesnt help

 

[Shano]

Any APEC card-holders finding significant delays due to these new express forms?

A friend who works for Customs said previously, the APEC card queue was almost always empty, but now it's full of pax holding the express cards given to them by their airline.

Anyone found the same? Or is it still relatively quick compared to the regular queues (I usually use the DF queue and bypass the huge queues, don't know why everyone else doesn't? )

Cheers,
- Febs.

My only inbound since the trials started was earlier this month in SYD. Long queues at the normal immigration lanes, but I was stuck behind about a dozen crew. They also only had one officer processing the APEC/crew lane which didn't help.

I did not see anyone in the queue with the express card.

People with e-passports were being processed more quickly than anyone.

 

[turtlemichael]

My only inbound since the trials started was earlier this month in SYD. Long queues at the normal immigration lanes, but I was stuck behind about a dozen crew. They also only had one officer processing the APEC/crew lane which didn't help.

I did not see anyone in the queue with the express card.

People with e-passports were being processed more quickly than anyone.

I think Shano that your experience was on QF128? Mine was also on 128 mid-last week. Everyone in J cabin was given an express pass but there were actually no queues anywhere. So went through the express line but kept the card for a rainy day.

 

[Shano]

I think Shano that your experience was on QF128? Mine was also on 128 mid-last week. Everyone in J cabin was given an express pass but there were actually no queues anywhere. So went through the express line but kept the card for a rainy day.

Yes, I flew into SYD on QF128. I asked for the pass from a Y FA, but they had run out (didn't know about it when I initially asked). No-one in Y got a pass but still did not see any J/F passengers in the express queue.

I arrived Sunday morning and the queues were awful.

 

[infoworks]

Had three recent SYD (QF side) experiences...first two inbound...last one, E lane quick and no waiting, took form. Previous one, went to wrong end and there was no queue, so I continued through, they still took the form. I quite firmly and deliberately asked for it back as I wasn't using the E lane and they refused, so I assume they are trying to prevent us collecting spares!!!

Last time outbound, pax from "the other" lane were being directed to E line once past the checkpoint/screens, causing difficulties for E line. Especially the guy who decided to argue about the bottle of red wine they pulled from his back pack...after all the notices, questions, etc, and in the "wrong" line!

 

[flyingzzzds]

Returning NRT to SYD on JL on 14th Jan - the entire J cabin was handed the express passes. As we had food to declare (lollies, choclates etc) we were not elligible to use - so I stashed for later use.

Stopped for our duty free and was told that there was no express lane for them. We had had an aweful trip on JL (another story), the place was busy and we had a lot of luggage!

After picking up bags we headed towards the far left hand side of AQIS to go to declare our food but I stopped to mention to SO that the express lane was empty and if we threw out the kids lollies (and my chocolates) then we would have been able to go through there. A staff remember walking past heard me I think and asked to look at our cards, questioned us on our "food" then delivered the magic green "e" stamp to our declaration cards and waved us over to the express lane.

On entry the officer again questioned our 'food' and then directed us to the left lane to walk straight out. Wow - if only it was always like this! Seriously would throw out food (yes even the Ghridelli Chocolates) if necessary to have such an easy exit on a busy day. Or maybe just eat them all onboard!

 

[JohnK]

Stopped for our duty free and was told that there was no express lane for them.

Have they removed the duty free express lane in SYD?

I was through end of December and duty free express lane was still there!

 

[simongr]

My only expereince of the epass was early on in the system. I had both the epass and had come from duty free. I went my normal route through DF and there were a few other people ahead of me that were just using the DF express and the staff were a little confused as to whether there was express path for DF or not...

 

[flyingzzzds]

Have they removed the duty free express lane in SYD?

I was through end of December and duty free express lane was still there!

Mid Janauary - I specifically asked about this. Staff did seemed confused but told us "no go".

 

[file51]

I dont recall seeing it last weekend when I came through on a D pass from MEL.

It was def there in November though.

 

[JohnK]

Mid Janauary - I specifically asked about this. Staff did seemed confused but told us "no go".

Thanks. There is no need to purchase duty free on arrival into SYD if they have removed the duty free express lane. Probably cheaper to purchase duty free in SE Asia anyway.

 

[stryker]

Probably cheaper to purchase duty free in SE Asia anyway.

Not probably.

 

[JohnK]

Probably cheaper to purchase duty free in SE Asia anyway.

Not probably.

Believe it or not there have been occassions where SYD duty free has been cheaper for some alcoholic beverages than SIN or BKK.

 

[infoworks]

Believe it or not there have been occassions where SYD duty free has been cheaper for some alcoholic beverages than SIN or BKK.

With PPS card in SIN, their prices are hard to beat, and it saves stuffing around inbound.

 

[BiziBB]

With PPS card in SIN, their prices are hard to beat, and it saves stuffing around inbound.

Wish I knew this on our flight on Saturday, from SIN-SYD, where I thought I'd get both a deal around $50 for two bottles plus express immigration. :evil:

Maybe sitting in the QF lounge wasn't the best use of our SIN time. :shock:

 

[JohnK]

Arriving back into SYD late last month I bought duty free and noticed that the duty free express lane is still there or has been resurrected. It is a dedicated lane leading out of duty free but is now shared with the express arrivals card passengers who can enter the express lane at a point just past duty free.