CHICAGO, 2013-06-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — O’Hare International Airport now offers expedited “1-Stop” customs processing for international passengers arriving without checked baggage. The new initiative will streamline the U.S. entry process and minimize customs wait times. “1-Stop” is available to all passengers who arrive at O’Hare’s International Terminal 5 with only carry-on luggage and proper documentation.
“Chicago O’Hare is the global gateway to our city, welcoming millions of visitors from around the world each year,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “We want international visitors and those returning home from abroad to have a fast and safe U.S. entry process so that they can immediately take advantage of everything that makes Chicago a world-class city.”
On average, 14,500 passengers arrive at O’Hare’s International Terminal 5 each day. It’s estimated that about 10 percent of those passengers travel without checked luggage.
“1-Stop” informational signage in six languages is posted in the sterile corridor leading to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) passport control area. The signage guides eligible travelers to enter designated lanes for customs processing. Travelers will make “one-stop” at a booth with a CBP officer, then move on to an “express corridor” that bypasses baggage claim and CBP Exit Control inspection areas. “1-Stop” CBP booths and express corridors are located on both sides of the passport control area in O’Hare International Terminal 5.
“It is our commitment to the traveling public, the Chicago Department of Aviation and our stakeholders to facilitate travel while maintaining CBP’s law enforcement mission”, said Matt Davies, CBP Port Director for the Area Port of Chicago. “1-Stop is just one of the many new initiatives piloted at O’Hare that further demonstrate CBP’s commitment to collaboration and innovation.”
“This initiative will greatly enhance the experience for travelers entering the U.S. at O’Hare by creating a faster, more efficient process for passengers who are traveling light and by helping to reduce wait times for all other arriving passengers,” said Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino. “I want to thank U.S. CBP and our airline partners for working diligently with the CDA to rapidly implement this program just in time for the busy summer travel season.”
“The ‘1-Stop’ program at O’Hare International Airport is among the first in the U.S.,” said Milton G. Uribe, Station Manager, Iberia Airlines of Spain and Chairman of the O’Hare Airline Managers Association (OAMA). “Arriving passengers can now look forward to a quicker exit from O’Hare and on to their next destination.”
In addition to “1-Stop”, the CDA recently announced that Chicago O’Hare will be the first airport in the United States to implement Automated Passport Control (APC), an innovative program developed by Vancouver Airport Authority and CBP to help U.S. passport holders move more quickly through the U.S. customs process by entering information at a self-service kiosk. APC will begin in the coming weeks.
“Four new international carriers are starting service at O’Hare in 2013, which means more choices for O’Hare travelers as well as more passengers arriving to the U.S. through Chicago,” said Andolino. “We are creating a ‘best in class’ experience for travelers at O’Hare International Airport by implementing innovative programs, services and technology as well as raising the bar for shopping and dining with award winning restaurants and exciting new retail concepts.”
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