With 655,000 travelers expected to pass through Taoyuan International Airport over the holiday, a new generation of the e-Gate is here to speed things up.
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Taoyuan airport is bumpin’. Long lines, excited travelers and a slow parade of check-in baggage ring in the Dragon Boat festivities at Taoyuan International Airport. From elementary school groups traveling to Hawai’i, to surfers heading to Bali, it seems everyone is looking forward to flying, rather than rowing this holiday.
With Taoyuan Airport estimating 655,000 travelers from the 7th - 11th, you’d be forgiven for worrying about the customs lines. Luckily, new e-Gates are here to help.
All it takes is a scan of your passport, your fingers, and a look into the camera before passengers are through– all in just 10 seconds.
But that’s not the only improvement to this fourth generation of the e-Gate. While older versions required a separate registration trip, gen 4 automatically registers passengers upon first use. Further, nationals, and foreign nationals over 14 from partner countries can all use this new e-Gate. It knows 40 languages, and it is fast!
From passport scan, to facial recognition, to customs cleared.
Border Affairs Chief Lin Tse-Chien (林澤謙), tells us what makes it so fast– the booth is scanning your face as soon as you enter the doors. Once it’s able to properly recognize and place your biometrics, the doors open, and you’re free to find your gate or grab your luggage.
Other ways to speed up your travels include arriving at the airport three hours in advance, and making use of online and phone check-ins. For their part, Taoyuan Airport has vouched to increase security and food service so that everyone can have a smoother Dragon Boat weekend than they’re accustomed to.
Amanda Stephens for RTI News