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Automated Passport Control (APC) first rolled out for international travelers at Chicago's O'Hare Airport in July 2013 and since then 23 other U.S. airports implemented the kiosks in their U.S. Customs and Border Protection international arrivals areas. When the kiosks debuted in Chicago and a few months later at New York's JFK Airport, U.S. officials asserted they would slash average wait times by as much as 40%. They've appeared to deliver on that promise at some airports while most have seen mediocre success.
At JFK airport the average wait time for international travelers to complete the two-step arrivals process, using the kiosks and then showing the receipt travelers receive to a Customs Officer, is about 18.5 minutes so far this month based on Customs data. That's a 65.9% decrease from the 30.7-minute average wait time in March 2013 before the kiosks launched at JFK and this puts JFK at the top of the leaderboard in terms of which airport can claim the most success from the kiosks.
However, the improved overall monthly average wait time doesn't mean JFK completely overcame its notoriously long Customs wait times. For example, Delta Air Lines boasted that Customs wait times in its Terminal 4 arrivals facility at JFK were reduced by 90% shortly after the kiosks became available in October 2013. But last week there were still several instances of maximum wait times exceeding two hours in Terminal 4 and average wait times hovered around one hour.
Only four of the 24 airports using the kiosks managed to reduce their average wait time this month by 40% or more compared with March 2013 or 2014 (whichever date came before kiosks were implemented). After JFK, Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport, Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Miami International Airport reduced their average wait times by 51.6%, 45.9% and 40.4%, respectively, for this month compared to either March 2013 or 2014.
The average wait times at some airports weren't terrible to begin with before kiosks arrived--which could explain why some terminals saw small percentage decreases, but still included excessive wait times of an hour or more in most cases. Some of the airports, such as JFK, Orlando International Airport and Chicago O'Hare Airport, allow travelers from the 38 visa waiver countries to use the kiosks while many, including Phoenix Sky Harbor and Seattle-Tacoma airports, only grant access to U.S. and Canadian citizens.
Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the first paragraph?
AThe success rate of using APC is not as high as expected.正確答案
BCustoms kiosks are dramatically reducing fly time in airplanes.
CAPC kiosks have been proven to enhance the visibility of U.S. airports.
DA high percentage of U.S. airports choose not to join the APC program.
答案與詳解
