TEXT4. SITA SPEEDS CUSTOMS PROCEDURES FOR AIRLINE PASSENGERS

Airlines subscribing to SITA's Departure Control System (DCS) are now able to offer faster customs procedures to USA- bound passengers. This re­sults from an interface between SITA DOS and APIS, the Advance Passenger Information Systems, developed by the United States Customs Service in cooperation with the airline industry. The new functionality is now available to all SITA DOS subscribers with international flights to the USA, as well as to Australia and New Zealand.

Using APIS international USA-bound passengers' passport information is forwarded to customs officials at the destination airport, allowing for automa­ted pre-arrival background checks. Passengers may then utilize new «Blue Lanes» designed to speed the customs process. These lanes will be available only to passengers departing from carriers. using, APIS.

SITA DOS is a fully integrated departure control system, providing auto­mated passenger check-in and processing of seat assignment, bag-tag prin­ting, boarding pass issuance, aircraft load planning, weight and balance cal­culation, and automatic operational message generation. The service is. cur­rently used by 44 airlines and airport handling agencies worldwide.

 

UNDERSTANDING CHECK Translate text 4 in writing.

DIALOGUE 21

Customs Officer: Would you like to put your luggage on here? Thank you.

Where have you just come from?

Traveller: From Madrid.

C.O.: Madrid. Are you resident in Spain, or do you live in the UK?

T,: I live in Spain.

C.O Can I see your passport, please? Thank you. How long are you

"ng to the UK for?

,T.: For a week.

C.O.: On holiday, are you? Or business?

T.: Yes, on business.

C.O.: I see. OK. Well then, you understand that you've come into the

Omen Channel, which means you have nothing to declare.

T.: Yes.

C.O.: Is this all your luggage?

T.: This is all, yes.

C.O.: Nobody else is travelling with you?

T.: No, I'm travelling alone.

C.O: OK then. What type of goods have you got, cigarettes, cigars?

T.: I've got just 200 cigarettes.

C.O.: Nothing else at all in the tobacco line?

T.: No.

C.O.: Any drink at all? Spirits? Liqueurs? Wine?

T: Just this bottle of whisky.

C.O.: Was that bought in the duty-free shop, or...?

.

T.:. Yes, at Madrid airport.

C.O.: I see. Are you bringing any gifts at all for anybody in the UK?

T.: Well, the whisky is a present, but that's all.

C.O.: I see. No other small items - watches, jewellery?

Т.: No, it's just personal things.

С.0.: OK. Right, Sir. Would you let me have a look in there?... 'the calculator going back to Spain with you?;: Yes it is. It's mine.

Do you have a camera at all?

Т.: No, not with me.

C.O.: OK, sir. Thank you very much.

 

GRAMMAR CHECK

Study the structure of all negative and interrogative sentences.

UNDERSTANDING CHECK

Learn this dialogue and reproduce it in pairs. Play the roles in turns.

 

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Group in twos (threes, fours) and do these assignments:

1. Use in sentences of your own: declare, fill in a Customs Declaration; check the declaration; check the luggage; duty-free articles; exceed the allowed quota; restricted articles; fall under restrictions; liable to Customs duty; liable to forfeiture (things); liable to prosecution (people); prohibited articles; declare items subject to duty; extension of a visa; hard currency.

2. Go through passport control using the following: I am a citizen of...

Here is my entry/exit/transit visa.

The purpose of my trip is business.

I would like to get in touch with our Embassy/Consulate/mission.

3. Go through customs using the following: Which way to customs? Where is the baggage check? I need a customs declaration form. I have nothing to declare. Please help me with this form. Are cigarettes on the free list? Is there duty on these things? I don't know what I am allowed. I have nothing more to declare. Are you through with my luggage? Can I consider my luggage cleared?