Smartgate and children - something I didn't know

[mushez]

Departing BNE on Friday gone, was informed I should go through Smartgate with all the kids - was traveling with Wife, and kids - 12, 10 & 4 years. My 4 year olds passport photo is of him 3 days old, and now 4.5 years old - he doesn't look a thing like his passport photo - but was told that we should still go via smartgate with all of them on departures.

 

[Simo]

My understanding is kids not allowed to use smart gate.... Happy to be wrong...

 

[mushez]

My understanding is kids not allowed to use smart gate.... Happy to be wrong...

Was my understanding also - why I took them all up to passport control for departures only to be told off by both of the otherwise doing nothing officers that I should have just used smartgate with all of them and that will do me a favour this once since I was already there.

 

[Simo]

This is your answer...

Simo

 

[Simo]

Also as a side point you are probably very close to having to replace your 4 year olds passport...

 

[kermatu]

Was my understanding also - why I took them all up to passport control for departures only to be told off by both of the otherwise doing nothing officers that I should have just used smartgate with all of them and that will do me a favour this once since I was already there.

Putting themselves out of a job in the process.

 

[mushez]

Also as a side point you are probably very close to having to replace your 4 year olds passport...

Correct - he is day before Australia Day. Before he was born, we had flights booked for 24th March. So had passport application & NZ Citizenship by decedent forms ready to roll - so needed to get him recognized as having a country of origin - although born in AU to Kiwis - so had application posted away before end of January - and finally after getting him citizenship - then passport issued, and in our hands less than a week prior to 24th March ready to travel. So his passport needs to be replaced by mid March next year.

 

[medhead]

My understanding is kids not allowed to use smart gate.... Happy to be wrong...

Mine as well. until a horror queue in ADL where an immigration officer asked what I was doing in that lane, and then told me children was an issue to do with height.

 

[Simo]

Mine as well. until a horror queue in ADL where an immigration officer asked what I was doing in that lane, and then told me children was an issue to do with height.

Your girls are probably in the 10 to 15 age group...

 

[Quickstatus]

Mine as well. until a horror queue in ADL where an immigration officer asked what I was doing in that lane, and then told me children was an issue to do with height.

I have been told that as well. I told the agent that it would be better to install a height gauge like they do at amusement parks = under minimum height measure no ride, rather than the current advisory with agents trying to say it does not apply and confusing people in the process. I also told him that passengers at immigration queues tend to be risk averse and would not risk doing a smart gate for fear of bringing attention to themselves if they were not sure of the rules. He shrugged and gave the look of someone with no idea...

Not the fault of the coal face immigration officer but probably the office higher up the food chain..

 

[kermatu]

Not the fault of the coal face immigration officer but probably the office higher up the food chain..

Not sure I agree. They aren't idiots, and have significant authority. If they aren't giving proper and consistent advice to passengers and giving the right feedback up the line -- I would say it actually is their fault -- or at least shared responsibility with management.

 

[Quickstatus]

Not sure I agree. They aren't idiots, and have significant authority. If they aren't giving proper and consistent advice to passengers and giving the right feedback up the line -- I would say it actually is their fault -- or at least shared responsibility with management.

To a certain degree, their authority will be within predetermined boundaries.

 

[medhead]

Your girls are probably in the 10 to 15 age group...

Yeah, they are now. This was a few years ago when the younger was just under 10. Given how tall they are it was rather annoying to be stuck in the never ending queue from hell.

 

[Simo]

My daughter is short for her age so will probably be a few extra years for us to be the right height or a customs person will say go and do the other line...

 

[Princess Fiona]

My daughter is short for her age so will probably be a few extra years for us to be the right height or a customs person will say go and do the other line...

The line can be used by adult passengers in wheel chairs so don't think short stature is a problem.

 

[Simo]

It would be tight in the confined space where they do the face recognition... And also where do they put there feet.::

 

[Princess Fiona]

It would be tight in the confined space where they do the face recognition... And also where do they put there feet.::

I have seen a passenger in a wheelchair use Smartgate and the info from Border protection indicates that it's accessible
Smartgate FAQ Disability

 

[Simo]

You have to be at least 120cm tall to use the smart gate... Not sure how high a wheel chair is and then add the person on top of that.

 

[Princess Fiona]

You have to be at least 120cm tall to use the smart gate... Not sure how high a wheel chair is and then add the person on top of that.

Must be taller than that for the passenger I saw.
120cm is actually quite small, it's the average height of a 6-7 year old and off the centile charts completely for someone who's 10.
I think your daughter will be fine.
The problem I had with my 10 year old was staying still long enough at the camera as you aren't allowed to help them at all.

 

[medhead]

My daughter is short for her age so will probably be a few extra years for us to be the right height or a customs person will say go and do the other line...

I'd say to try it anyway.
After my experience with the kids. Also another experience in ADL where I lined up forever, because my passport was rejecting at the smartgates; only to then have someone tell me to use the smartgate anyway because it issues a rejection slip and sends you to a real person at a much short bypass line.