Australian Airports Association: The AAA welcomes the Government’s investment in border clearance te

The Australian Airports Association (AAA) welcomes the Government's announcement that it will be investing in world leading automated and 'contactless traveller' clearance technology to process international travellers arriving at Australian airports.

'The new border clearance technology in Australian airports is an excellent step forward for our customers, as it will further streamline the customs process, which after a long flight will be a relief for tired travellers' AAA CEO, Caroline Wilkie said.

The Government has signed a $22.5 million contract with Vision-Box Australia Pty Ltd to deliver upgraded biometric technology to be used in Australian international airports by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to process passengers.

Airports have invested billions of dollars in recent years on aeronautical infrastructure, terminal upgrades and ground transport networks, all with the aim of ensuring the travel experience for passengers is as seamless and enjoyable as possible.

'With the recent evolution of smart gates at out airports dramatically improving border processing, the AAA sees this new investment as another important step towards a truly contactless clearance process.'

'The contactless traveller initiative will not only improve the passenger experience, it will be able to use stateof-the-art biometric technology to further strengthen the protection of Australia's borders' Ms Wilkie said.

The new technology will eventually be able to process regular travellers through customs by using facial recognition technology rather than showing a passport. This investment is part of the Government's broader $123.6 million program aimed at improving the experience for passengers at our border, which is fully supported by the AAA.