Auckland Airport now offers a fast-lane for many frequent flyers

Getting through Auckland Airport should be quicker and easier for inbound Australian flyers thanks to a newly-opened biosecurity lane at the international terminal.

The lane is available for Australian and New Zealand  passport holders who don't have any food "or other biosecurity risk items" to declare – a category which covers the bulk of trans-Tasman business travellers.

“In the past, New Zealand and Australian travellers could be held up waiting for biosecurity staff to check goods declared by passengers ahead in the queue," reflects border clearance services director Steve Gilbert.

"The new layout will prevent this type of congestion. Kiwis and Aussie travellers who don’t have anything to declare will go straight to risk assessment via their own queue line."

There's also an additional baggage X-ray machine at the incoming traveller checkpoint and scope for two detector dog teams on duty at the same time – one for travellers eligible to exit via the Green Lane, the other for those undergoing x-ray screening of their baggage.

"The extra dog team will allow us to maximise the use of Green Lane" Gilbert says of the channel which allows low-risk New Zealand and Australian travellers to bypass baggage x-ray screening.

"When our dog team has been called away from the Green Lane in the past, we have had to redirect eligible passengers to x-ray, adding to the processing time."

Also read: Which airline has the best business class on trans-Tasman flights?

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.