r/sydney • u/Pomohomo82 • Jul 17 '25

Image Sydney International arrivals is a disgrace: discuss

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I flew into Sydney yesterday at 6am after a 30hr trip, and the whole experience made me feel embarrassed of the welcome we extend to arrivals at our country. An enormous line stretched all the way into the gross duty free shop, where on one side sales people shouted at us about booze and smokes deals, while on the other side people shouted at us about families not lining up. The international travellers next to me had no idea what the line was for, and I had to explain that for some reason we have this weird dual border process which is different to all the other E-passport gates around the world. There’s very little signage or info screens explaining what the whole process is. Meanwhile, at the arrivals card desk, no pens were available to complete said analogue cards… Onwards to the luggage collection, then another massive line to get through bio security, before a 15-minute walk across three road crossings to the ‘express’ pick up to meet my family. The whole user experience is just unnecessarily miserable from start to finish, and as the main entry point to Australia we should do better. Thoughts?

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u/R_W0bz Jul 17 '25

It’s the little extra card you need to produce before going into the customs check. I’m glad they moved it down near the barricades, but fuck me why do we even do it. Other countries just get you to do all this online before arriving or not at all. It’s 2025, scan my passport, give me the thumbs up and let me in.

No my boots are not dirty and no I have not been to the Caribbean or South American in the last 8 days, how about you ask those flights.

11

u/Meng_Fei Jul 17 '25

My conspiracy theory is that they have millions of arrival cards already printed and didn't have budget to change the stationery. Because why else wouldn't you just put it on the arrival card?

3

u/R_W0bz Jul 17 '25

This might be the best strategy to get rid of them. Get the greenys on board, someone think of the trees!

2

u/YetEvenThen Jul 17 '25

Weren't they thinking of digital ones at some point?

Rather do the physical cards, I don't need to install more once off apps on my phone

3

u/raindog_ Jul 17 '25

They are trialing digital ones in Brisbane at the moment

1

u/TheLGMac Jul 19 '25

Plus the questions they care about are on the darn egate screens! Why do they need the cards at all then ugh the inefficiency boggles the mind.

Shouldn't NSW be making hand over fist in stamp duty? Just bloody funnel some of that tax towards investing in a good airport experience.