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Will be there Tuesday, hoping for shorter wait times.
Last month it took us about 2.5 hours to get through the airport! Another reason to pay the taxi well.
It was also the first time in 17 trips that we got to experience rush hour and road to Negril in the dark.
The adventure reminded me of the “old” road to Negril!
Hyah....So, what does e-gates mean exactly? Is that where you're supposed to show your passport? Curious.
From what I can see, it looks like facial recognition. I didn’t notice anyone swiping their passport. Rob, correct me if I’m wrong.
Facial recognition, your passport info is shared from your departing country.Quote:
Originally Posted by Negril96
It looks like you still use the Kiosk to show your passport. In the back ground you can see people still using them and everyone pass through the gates have that receipt from the kiosk.Quote:
Originally Posted by rocknrollfarmer
It’s working great. Arrived Saturday at 2:30. Tried to book club Mobay 2 months ago but they were booked so I was expecting a long wait. Not so. No more than 10 minutes in line to get to kiosk. From there a direct walk through facial recognition. Lots of people arriving when we did. The walk to immigration was packed but with lots of kiosks open the line went fast. Waited longer to get through customs. Maybe 15 minutes
This IS a game changer!
I just did it and agree much faster than the last 2 years even with club Mobay!
What a breeze!
Still a little leery about cancelling Club MoBay for our Feb arrival. We only use it for arrivals and then don't use the club (except to have our escort grab me a rum punch).
Just talked with Club MoBay and they said that there are still immigration lines and that they still have their expedited lines. Using Club MoBay is still a beneficial as well as specialty service to make your entry into Jamaica that much quicker and comfortable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Odinson
Thanks Rob, I was wondering that.
I booked club mobay for july 3rd arrival at 9:41 am. Probably don’t need it but it’s just gonna be me and the girls and I need all the help I can get lol. I’ll have enough stress on the airplane Lord help me!
Rob,
Great to hear about the new E Gate.
Club Mobay is still my choice for the following reasons:
1) CM has their exclusive immigration desk.
2) CM has their exclusive customs desk/officer.
3) On departure, if your flight is delayed, their departure lounge is a great place to wait for your flight!
Enjoy,
VVHT aka Happy
As near as I can figure you do the C5 online, have to go through the kiosk, then go to the E-Gates, and lastly give your kiosk paper to immigration officer. Seems like an extra step not a time saver. Am I missing something? The last few times we were on the rock the kiosk line was huge and we walked by them all and went to the immigration officers instead. Got through much quicker. Is that still an option?
Just returned yesterday, and glad to say the new e-gates are awesome. Waited longer for my luggage to appear on the conveyor than anything else on the entering process. Was outside the airport and talking to my driver less than 20 minutes after stepping off the plane. Was on the Club Mobay waiting list, but glad they were full, will not request their service again.
Fantastic news, thank you!!! Headed back in November and can’t wait.Quote:
Originally Posted by phineasfreakears
BeachTramp, when was the last time you visited? When I went in November, 2022, the bottleneck was the line for the kiosks. In December, 2023, there were many many more kiosks. Not a slow spot any more. I must have just missed the e-gate installation. I don't recall using them.Quote:
Originally Posted by BeachTramp
We came in last Tues there are kiosks's downstairs as well as upstairs, we went past all the kiosks's and went downstairs to use those, lots of them open. Then over to the e-gates. Still lots of congestion and confusion going on and when told to stay to the left they are not clear that they want you to keep going past the people waiting to use kiosks's upstairs.
The time saver will be that you don't stand and see an immigration officer. Remember facial recognition has been a part of Jamaica immigration for many years. When you step up and see the immigration officer, and he is flipping through your passport, talking to the other officer and checking his/her phone, what they are really doing is waiting for the facial recognition cameras up above to clear you. Ya 2-3 minutes tops but times that by 100 people waiting in line. Now the facial recognition camera is right there, out front and gets you picture right a way with no waiting. I agree with Rob, this is a game changer.Quote:
Originally Posted by BeachTramp
Now the real problem is the outside of the airport. They changed the direction of traffic entering departures 3 days before Christmas with little to no notice or signage, and now they switched it back to the old way. The old gas station is gone while they make more parking but in the mean time parking is a problem while they work on it and traffic is backed up. It's going to get better but right now it's a nightmare to get into the airport.
It might be wishful thinking but maybe Jamaica is heading in this direction...
https://www.traveloffpath.com/americ...ibbean-island/
Dear Boardies,
Any recent experience with the E-Gate?
Arriving on a Saturday afternoon in May and wondering if things are still working smoothly.
I'm on standby with Club Mobay.
Thanks,
VVHT aka Happy
I just returned from a quick trip back to Canada. Immigration was smooth and pain free. The only real wait was to get the bags off the baggage belt. Of course the sign said belt 5 but our luggage came off on #4, of course. I was in and out in about 35 minutes despite the delay for the luggage and the airport was busy. The only real delay was the traffic congestion outside. I can't believe they change the traffic flow now for a 3rd time since Xmas. The first change was the best where arrivals go to the right, departures straight, and both circle back and meet at the round-a-bout. Now they have departures turning left, arrivals to the right and everybody meets up at departures causing a huge traffic jam starting right at the Groovy Grouper. It's a nightmare to get out now. A'nt nothing that an icy cold Red Stripe won't solve though!!
Well as of last week, the slowest part was getting thru the backup in the hallway, before the escalator, before immigration (they were trying to hand out C-5 forms to people who didn't do it online). After that, I went into a quick line to the KEOSK to scan my passport and have my pic taken. Then went down the ramp to immigration, walked right into the line for the facial recognition scanner and walked thru in seconds. Club Mobay really couldn't have done it much faster. I even saw their groups get stalled in the hallway, trying to fight thru the C-5 forms crowd to move on. I was looking for my ride to Negril in less than a half hour after walking off the plane.Quote:
Originally Posted by VVHT
brownsd54 and Ukran1ans,
Good Information!
Much appreciated!
VVHT aka Happy
Has anyone on here entered using a Jamaican passport and is the process the same as everyone else or is there still a separate line for citizens
You will not need to scan your passport at the kiosk. Just walk straight through and go to the line marked "Foreign Nationals". Sometimes it's best to ask at the kiosk but last week I scanned my passport, got my picture taken but nothing printed out. It just said "see agent". The officer at the kiosk said I don't need to scan documents, just go straight to immigration. At the bottom of the ramp I asked again about permanent residences and was directed to the "foreign Nationals" line. In and out easy peasy. It seems the days of "stand there", "why are you standing there, stand here" are gone, but it pays to ask an agent at every step.
Now that the e-gates have been operational for awhile just wondering what the process still is for arriving Jamaican nationals. Is a C5 required, do you scan your passport at the kiosk, is there a separate kiosk or line for Jamaicans, is the process any faster than for non Jamaicans? Thanks in advance for any responses from those who have recently experienced this.
I flew in and out for a quick weekend visit 5/17-5/20. I only bring carry on but I don't think I was in the airport for more than 20 minutes once I got off the plane. Very fast. I went to a kiosk in the hallway, got my photo taken and slip, then was ushered to an e-gate instead of an immigration officer. That process was lightning quick. The only people that I saw get held up were those who did not fill out the online customs form prior to landing. I have no idea how they even got on their flight because I was checked at my departure gate in Detroit and then again at my connector gate in Orlando to assure I had filled it out. Only wait I had in Mo Bay was then at customs in the nothing to declare line. Stood there for about ten minutes until it was my turn.Quote:
Originally Posted by VVHT
The new system worked good for me as well a few weeks ago. I am coming in January on a Saturday afternoon so I will get Club Mobay to be safe but no doubt its getting better.