BFS Fast Track no longer available to economy passengers.

[doctormann]

I just received the message, below, from BFS.  

 

I had booked the BFS fast-track service for some of my family, who are visiting in November.  Maybe I should not have bothered!  This change in policy rather negates the whole point of booking the BFS service in the first place.  I can only assume that the policy change is something to do with providing premium lanes for the Chinese hordes!

 

By the way, replying to the message doesn't work as the BFS mailbox is, apparently, full!  Wonderful!

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Dear *******

 

Greetings from BFS Premium Services.

 

We are sorry to inform you that the airport authorities have changed the policy on Premium Fast track coupons usage and have advised us of the following with immediate effect.

 

Only Passengers holding First and Business class tickets will be allowed to use the Premium Fast track coupons and channels.

Passengers travelling in economy class will not be allowed to use Premium Fast track channel.

 

We are sorry for the short notice and apologize for the inconvenience this change of policy may cause.

 

Please urgently reply back to us.

 

We will refund back to you if you do not need our service.

 

Best regards,

 

Asanun

[impulse]

In half a dozen attempts over the past 7 years, I have never successfully booked the Fast Channel service through BFS.  In fairness, I rarely know more than a week in advance when I'm flying in, but the litany of reasons they gave have been amusing.  The most aggravating ones are where they accept the reservation, only to cancel it on the day of travel- claiming they have nobody available. 

 

Frankly, I hope they go out of business.  They deserve it.

 

[connda]

You're Low-So.  In this status conscious country, Low-So's don't count.  They don't want the Low-Sos mixing with the Hi-Socs. 

[saminoz]

I very recently used a limo fast lane service at Suvarnabhuni and it was excellent.  Great value for the cost.

[KhunBENQ]

28 minutes ago, saminoz said:

I very recently used a limo fast lane service at Suvarnabhuni and it was excellent.  Great value for the cost.

Was that this one?

https://www.limousine.in.th/fasttrack.php

[saminoz]

22 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Was that this one?

https://www.limousine.in.th/fasttrack.php

Yes Sir!  Very efficient, polite and worthwhile service.

They tend to use the diplomatic lanes.

Transiting through Nairobi, I had to go back and get a Port health stamp, but all was done very easily.

By the time I arrived at the baggage belt, my suitaces were already on a trolley ready to be escorted through Customs.

Well worth the minimal costs after a couple of long haul flights, IMHO.

[dick turpin]

Always travel business class.....ugh, the very thought of mixing with economy pax.

[Media1]

It's a cardboard cut out the office and the office number. This is no message service lol.

Edited August 13, 2018 by Media1

[glamont002]

Fast track is supposed to be for business and first class passengers. About time they kept economy class out which just made the fast track lines longer.

[dundas]

6 minutes ago, glamont002 said:

Fast track is supposed to be for business and first class passengers. About time they kept economy class out which just made the fast track lines longer.

So presumably fast track is now for business and first class passengers, as well as those who speak Mandarin ... 

[doctormann]

21 minutes ago, dundas said:

So presumably fast track is now for business and first class passengers, as well as those who speak Mandarin ... 

 

Or Cantonese.

 

Still available to the old and infirm.  I think that it used to be available to families with small children but I don't know if it still is.

 

This is apparently an AOT decision so not only BFS will be affected - any other fast-track or limo service will be subject to the same rule.  If the fast-track service was used as intended there would be no problem but there have been recent reports of everyone and their dog trying to use the priority lanes.

 

Basically, the main airports just cannot cope with the number of passengers at peak times.  I'm not sure that the new priority lane restrictions will achieve anything to relieve the congestion, if indeed this is the intention.  Maybe a better option is to route more of the Chinese charter lights to U-Tapao - for Pattaya - or to Chiang Mai.  There are plans to extend U-Tapao so, if that comes to fruition we may see an improvement.  Won't happen any time soon though.

 

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

Was this a company selling the fast track coupons reading “not to be sold”? Sounds like corruption.

 

Get the Elite card.

 

[Esso49]

4 hours ago, connda said:

You're Low-So.  In this status conscious country, Low-So's don't count.  They don't want the Low-Sos mixing with the Hi-Socs. 

Well for those who can afford to travel business or first , they still get issued with a Fast track card anyway so would not need to pay extra.  And as for BFS limiting the service to those I can not understand the business driver for it due to the reasons explained. As for the comments regarding Chinese hoards, well they cannot purchase it either by the same logic surely.

[doctormann]

6 minutes ago, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

Was this a company selling the fast track coupons reading “not to be sold”? Sounds like corruption.

 

Get the Elite card.

 

 

No, BFS is a legitimate company.  I have used them before and found them to be very good.

 

As for the Elite Card, I really have no use for that - quite simple for me to do annual retirement extensions and I don't travel out of Thailand often enough to benefit from it.  My original post in this thread was regarding some members of my family visiting from Spain.  The fast-track was for them - mother and two children - as I didn't want them standing around in long Immigration queues.

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

Fast track seems to be overcrowded with non business class flyers recently I arrived to see a line of at least 35-50 people. The Elite Personal assistant had me wait a few minutes then I was whisked through the air-crew line.

[tryasimight]

8 hours ago, saminoz said:

Yes Sir!  Very efficient, polite and worthwhile service.

They tend to use the diplomatic lanes.

Transiting through Nairobi, I had to go back and get a Port health stamp, but all was done very easily.

By the time I arrived at the baggage belt, my suitaces were already on a trolley ready to be escorted through Customs.

Well worth the minimal costs after a couple of long haul flights, IMHO.

Must have been quite slow in the diplomatic lane.  I have used the priority immigration line when travelling business class.  Then have to wait for my bag to appear on the carousel...... 

Sometimes I use the normal lane as many times there are only three people in front of me and I save the priority card for when I've flown economy and the lines are full.  When they actually put the date and flight number on the card that cunning plan will be stuffed. 

Edited August 13, 2018 by tryasimight

[5633572526]

Always fly business to avoid long immigration lines and with Chinese now having priority lanes normal lines will be even longer.

[merijn]

On 8/13/2018 at 1:50 PM, dundas said:

So presumably fast track is now for business and first class passengers, as well as those who speak Mandarin ... 

Fast track is still only for Business and First Class.

The Chinese priority lanes are at the economy immigration halls and not the fast track section hall.

This is done to avoid unnecessary delays in the normal immigration lines as many of the Chinese tourist have not filled out the TM6 arrival card and causing a lot of delays and frustration for other tourist.

So it could be a good thing after all. 

 

Edited September 18, 2018 by merijn

[Scottjouro]

On 8/13/2018 at 5:45 PM, Esso49 said:

Well for those who can afford to travel business or first , they still get issued with a Fast track card anyway so would not need to pay extra.  And as for BFS limiting the service to those I can not understand the business driver for it due to the reasons explained. As for the comments regarding Chinese hoards, well they cannot purchase it either by the same logic surely.

Er no they dont get issued a fast track card anymore, that stopped a while back need to present your business or first class  boarding pass to the IO, one presumes too many fast track passes were ending up in the hands of those on the other side of the curtain

[Scottjouro]

On 9/18/2018 at 10:31 PM, merijn said:

Fast track is still only for Business and First Class.

The Chinese priority lanes are at the economy immigration halls and not the fast track section hall.

This is done to avoid unnecessary delays in the normal immigration lines as many of the Chinese tourist have not filled out the TM6 arrival card and causing a lot of delays and frustration for other tourist.

So it could be a good thing after all. 

 

There is no fast track "hall" at swampy, when you get to the arrival hall, business and first class turn left, but it all in the same hall 

 

[merijn]

11 hours ago, Scottjouro said:

Er no they dont get issued a fast track card anymore, that stopped a while back need to present your business or first class  boarding pass to the IO, one presumes too many fast track passes were ending up in the hands of those on the other side of the curtain

Yes premium card (fast track) cards are handed out as normal for first and business class passengers, Only don't supp,y them as they never did so far i remember.

(sorry i don't know how to attache a example which i have)

 

 

[merijn]

11 hours ago, Scottjouro said:

There is no fast track "hall" at swampy, when you get to the arrival hall, business and first class turn left, but it all in the same hall 

 

Yes there is the premium immigration hall (fast track) between the 2 big halls and next to the visa on arrival hall.

 

[wpcoe]

15 hours ago, Scottjouro said:

Er no they dont get issued a fast track card anymore, that stopped a while back need to present your business or first class  boarding pass to the IO, one presumes too many fast track passes were ending up in the hands of those on the other side of the curtain

 

15 hours ago, Scottjouro said:

There is no fast track "hall" at swampy, when you get to the arrival hall, business and first class turn left, but it all in the same hall 

 

 

It sounds like you are quoting the procedure for THAI passengers.  Passengers of other airlines do get a card and proceed to a separate Fast Track area between the two main immigrations halls.

[Scottjouro]

1 hour ago, wpcoe said:

 

 

It sounds like you are quoting the procedure for THAI passengers.  Passengers of other airlines do get a card and proceed to a separate Fast Track area between the two main immigrations halls.

My bad, as I generally only fly Thai business class, and your right the last time i flew Qatar business i vaguely remember them handing my Mrs the cards..that would have been 3 years ago 

[Techno Viking]

I found gold track voucher in my luggage, are they still valid ?

 

[digitalnobhead]

On 11/4/2018 at 5:32 PM, Techno Viking said:

I found gold track voucher in my luggage, are they still valid ?

 

 

No. However I got away with it a few months ago. They have the new smaller premium passes stickered to the glass and were pointing and moaning about this - why you have old blah blah blah , just play dumb and they eventually process you. 

[NanLaew]

It's a pity that BFS can no longer serve the greater unwashed. I found their service was good and reasonably priced. I see that BAL are still offering their services are really expensive. I have 3 buddies coming in and used to treat them to the BFS meet and greet and it would only be 2050. BAL's identical service is 4699 baht. Sorry lads, you'll have to walk.