visit our site | subscribe for free contact the editor | forward to a friend     Australian Frequent Flyer Gazette Issue 100:   26 October 2007 In this issue: Latest Talk Flight Deals Hotel Deals Car Deals

Custom-Queues Shorter in the Not So Distant Future

Jetlagged, irritable and homesick passengers may be reunited with their loved ones, and the comfort of bed, a little quicker with the help of a biometric passport. Anyone who has received a new passport since late October 2005 will already have one. The passport incorporates a chip storing all your passport details and a digital image of your passport photo.

Since 2002, Australian Customs has been testing facial recognition technology that automatically identifies and checks arriving passengers without the need for human intervention. The system, known as Smart Gate, takes an image of a person's face, and then compares it to a 3-D image stored in their passport. If the two photographs are the same, the system quickly performs the normal checks. If a match is not successful, the person is referred to a Customs officer. Trials of the system were undertaken in Sydney and Melbourne between 2002 and 2005. Within the next couple of months, Customs plans to implement the system in Cairns, followed by Sydney in April next year and Melbourne one month later. Remaining international airports will follow. Self-processing using Smart Gate will help customs officials focus on high-risk travellers and detect forged or stolen passports. And even better than that, it will help passengers begin their holidays quicker and get to business meetings faster, without the delay and inconvenience of long queues.

 
Crew Meals
One member SNEAKS A PEAK at the crew’s meals on board. Take a look at what you are missing out on! Tiger Claws Into MelbourneTiger Airways Melbourne terminal has just been opened and they celebrated with A MAMMOTH SALE… but if you blinked… you missed it!Terrible TravellersEveryone has a story to tell about a rude, crude or downright annoying fellow traveller. Vent your spleen HERE. Qantas Staff PerksEver fancied a career at Qantas? If not, check out these STAFF PERKS and they might change your mind! Jetstar Is Going PlacesA new TV show in a similar vein to US “Airline” has graced your television screens… find out what our members thought HERE. No Thongs.  No SingletsShould airplanes have a dress code? Whilst most of our members concur that a suit and tie is not in order… shoes as a bear minimum seems to be THE CONSENSUS. Impulse FlyersAnd no, thats not the airline! Our members discus the shortest TIME FROM PURCHASE TO BOARDING.  Can you beat 15 minutes as posted by one member? Beating JetlagDoes the direction you fly really make a difference?  In general, our members think it has more to do with broken sleep patterns, rather than direction you travel in.  Post your opinion HERE. Qantas to spinn off Holiday Business?There is SPECULATION that Qantas is considering selling its Holiday business. A member wonders how this will impact those claims for missing Hotel stay points! Inside the new Jumbo JumboAre you interested in checking out the fit out of the new  Singapore Airline A380?  You can see some photos, read our member's comments, and even see a video HERE.

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