The Australia Travel Declaration (ATD) pilot program has expanded to include eligible passengers on all international Qantas flights arriving at Brisbane Airport (BNE), from today.
The Australian Border Force (ABF), in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) and Qantas, leads the pilot program.
ABF Commissioner Gavan Reynolds said the replacement of the paper Incoming Passenger Card (IPC) was the next step toward an integrated and fully digital border.
“The expansion of the Australian Travel Declaration pilot program marks a significant advancement in our mission to modernise border processes and enhance the traveller experience,” Commissioner Reynolds said.
“The positive feedback so far has demonstrated a clear demand for a more efficient and user-friendly approach. As we prepare for global events like the 2032 Olympics, the ABF is committed to using technology to create a seamless travel experience while maintaining our high standards of security and compliance.”
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity Justine Saunders said the pilot had already produced new efficiencies.
“We are excited to partner with the ABF and Qantas in this innovative approach to managing biosecurity risk at the border,” Saunders said. “Trial findings so far have demonstrated a more seamless traveller experience while allowing biosecurity officers to increase their focus on detecting non-compliance and managing risky goods.”
Qantas Group Chief Customer and Digital Officer Catriona Larritt said Qantas was continuously working to create a more seamless travel experience for our customers.
“We’ve received positive feedback following the first phase of the Australia Travel Declaration pilot, so we know our customers will be pleased about this expansion of the program to all international inbound flights to Brisbane,” Larritt said.
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff welcomed the expansion of the program.
“We’re huge advocates at Brisbane Airport for modernising the border, so we’re excited to see the expansion of the digital arrival card program after such a successful pilot here last
year,” he said.
“With the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and major tourism growth fast approaching, we must do all we can to make people’s journey to Brisbane smooth, and modernising and digitising the border is an essential part of that.”
The first phase of the pilot program, which began on Monday, 21 October 2024, allowed eligible travellers flying into BNE from New Zealand on single-passenger bookings to complete an ATD – a digital alternative to the paper IPC – through the existing Qantas App.
The pilot program was expanded to include travellers on Qantas flights into BNE from Los Angeles Airport (LAX), USA last week.
This latest expansion to single and multi-passenger bookings on all international Qantas flights arriving directly into BNE is the result of the success of those initial steps.
Almost 12,000 passengers have taken up the ATD since it began.
Participants’ responses have included, “It’s about time,” “It made my life easier; I wasn’t reaching for that pen,” and “It was awesome; I’m already out.”
After completing the declaration, passengers will receive a digital pass with a QR code through the Qantas app and their nominated email, which is shown to ABF officers upon arrival into Brisbane for swift clearance through border controls.
The Brisbane pilot continues to provide valuable insights that will inform the future expansion of the program, including to travellers arriving in other airports and on different
airlines.
