The implementation of new border apps and programs aimed at expediting customs processes has inadvertently left many travellers in the dust to wait it out in hours-long lineups at Canadian airports.
A recent incident at YUL, as CBC reported, sheds light on the potential consequences of prioritizing the use of the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) — a free app from United States Customs and Border Protection to speed up wait time at customs for American citizens and Canadian visitors — leaving others, particularly elderly and international passengers, at a disadvantage.
According to the article, significant delays at U.S. customs pre-clearance resulted in a number of passengers missing a flight to New York City.
While the use of the MPC application allowed some travellers to bypass the lengthy queues, others who were unfamiliar with the technology, lacked the necessary documents or were not eligible, found themselves falling far behind. This has raised concerns about fairness and equality in the travel experience.
Experts argue the reliance on mobile technologies, such as MPC or Nexus, in border controls can create a two-tier system, favouring technologically-savvy passengers and potentially discriminating against those who are less comfortable with such tools or not eligible for their use.
Addressing this issue requires the attention and collaboration of border service agencies, airports, and other stakeholders.
In the CBC article, Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) noted that the United States Customs and Border Protection is responsible for managing customs and processing passengers flying to the U.S.
In a statement, United States Customs and Border Protection told CBC that separate queues for app users and non-users are recommended, with each airport responsible for efficient queue management.
In MAY, Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, announced that the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) will be launching a new Verified Traveller program at select airports across Canada, as Open Jaw reported.
According to Ottawa, the new Verified Traveller program is designed to help ease congestion over time. However, it is still only available to a limited number of travellers, including:
- Members of NEXUS and Global Entry;
- Active members of the Canadian Armed Forces and US military, including reservists, with valid ID;
- Canadian aircrew and airport workers with Restricted Area Identification Cards;
- International aircrew (in uniform) with valid airline ID; and
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers, Canadian police officers and constables with a badge and proper photo identification issued by their respective organizations.
