The increase in the use of technology at airports to provide primary inspection kiosks before you go through customs is a wise investment, but it is held back by the fact that few people know that it exists. Whether passengers use the automatic machines or not, they still have to go to a customs officer. But with that new technology, they could make their declarations and go through customs much more quickly.
My question comes in two parts.
How are airports going about familiarizing travellers with the technology and directing them to the kiosks where the technology is in place? I feel that it could greatly reduce the number of people at the booths.
Baggage pick-up can also pose a problem for a lot of people and is only rarely talked about. If I show a NEXUS card when I go through customs, things are done really quickly, but I then have to pick up my baggage. That's the last step and it delays everyone.
Realistically, a certain minimum time is needed to unload baggage. Baggage pick-up is part of the overall experience when you get to an airport. But criticism is often just about going through customs, and not about this final stage you have to get through before you can leave the airport.