Just Returned from UK, - Three Observations for Travellers

[Pilotman]

Just got back to BKK from a shortish trip to the UK.  Three observations that may be of interest to others:

 

1.  Heathrow private car fares into the heart of the City  and back are very competitive now.  City to LHR for £35, cheapest I have known. Book online and get a good price.  

 

2.  I  was politely quizzed by Eva Air staff at LHR check-in on my Thai visa status (i was on a single to BKK) and asked to indicate in my passport both my current extension of stay and my re entry permit. 

 

3. As usual, I booked the VIP arrivals and fast track service at BKK, 1500 Bhat. As always it worked a treat as the queues in normal immigration were very long. Fast Track immigration desk was clear of a queue and I was in, stamped and out in less than 3 minutes.  IO smiling and polite (yes, really). 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Pilotman

[Jip99]

Pilotman, I know I can search for it - but do you have a link to the fast track service ?  Thanks.

[Pilotman]

3 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

Pilotman, I know I can search for it - but do you have a link to the fast track service ?  Thanks.

https://www.limousine.in.th/fast-track-immigration.html

 

You don't have to have a car from therm. 

[helloagain]

When leaving or arriving thailand i just follow my wife through the thai only part of immagration no problem. When arriving in uk my thai wife follows me through my border control section no problem. 

[jaiyen]

You obviously have too much money to waste on private cars and fast track. We are more realistic

[4evermaat]

19 minutes ago, jaiyen said:

You obviously have too much money to waste on private cars and fast track. We are more realistic

I heard the FastTrack was actually supposed to be 40-80 baht.  But certain officials monopolized it and turned it into a cash machine. 

 

 

There is an older story but I cannot find the link. 

[baansgr]

19 hours ago, Pilotman said:

https://www.limousine.in.th/fast-track-immigration.html

 

You don't have to have a car from therm. 

Worth every satang

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Certainly convenient, but it grates against my democratic sensibilities; rather than offering an efficient immigration service, which should be the norm given the taxes already paid to use the airport, the greedy b*ggers find a new way to charge a fee which many, with family and children for example, cannot easily afford. 

[jkcjag]

queues are the same at many airports, including LHR

[Letseng]

20 hours ago, Jip99 said:

Pilotman, I know I can search for it - but do you have a link to the fast track service ?  Thanks.

1500 Baht is a rip off by an agent. Someone sells the cards. While BFS did it it was approx. 800 Baht as they had airside ops permit. Fly business and you get it for free.

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, jaiyen said:

You obviously have too much money to waste on private cars and fast track. We are more realistic

Up to you mate, it's a personal choice. I choose to  use money to make my life simpler and less stressful.  It's hardly a Kings ransom. 

[Pilotman]

Just now, Letseng said:

1500 Baht is a rip off by an agent. Someone sells the cards. While BFS did it it was approx. 800 Baht as they had airside ops permit. Fly business and you get it for free.

That doesn't make much sense.  1,500 Bhat as against the cost of a business class ticket? 

[johnnybangkok]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

Up to you mate, it's a personal choice. I choose to  use money to make my life simpler and less stressful.  It's hardly a Kings ransom. 

I agree. I used this service and thought it was excellent. 

Had a very polite young man waiting for me at the arrival gate. He then took me through Fast-track and we waited for my bags. Went straight through customs to an awaiting limo (I think it was a Camry) and off home. Very efficient and for me to save all that time, great value. 

[MarleyMarl]

I never bought fast track, but you get it when flying business class with Thai Airways (including business/first class checkin) it is much better than the regular process.

[klauskunkel]

22 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Fast Track immigration desk was clear of a queue and I was in, stamped and out in less than 3 minutes.  IO smiling and polite (yes, really). 

I came back on Apr 30 at 6pm. No queues anywhere. I was also finished with immigration in less than 3 minutes. My IO was not smiling, nor talking - but then, I did not pay 1500 baht...

In both countries, the UAE and Germany, the IOs were smiling and made an effort to be personable, In Thailand not so. Maybe only the Fast Track guy is trained to showcase the Land of Smiles?

Edited May 2, 2019 by klauskunkel

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, klauskunkel said:

I came back on Apr 30 at 6pm. No queues anywhere. I was also finished with immigration in less than 3 minutes. My IO was not smiling, nor talking - but then, I did not pay 1500 baht...

In both countries, the UAE and Germany, the IOs were smiling and made an effort to be personable, In Thailand not so. Maybe only the Fast Track guy is trained to showcase the Land of Smiles?

I prefer certainty to luck. 

Edited May 2, 2019 by Pilotman

[Stocky]

6 hours ago, helloagain said:

When leaving or arriving thailand i just follow my wife through the thai only part of immagration no problem. When arriving in uk my thai wife follows me through my border control section no problem. 

That isn't always possible now that they have E-Gates for Thai passport holders, sometimes there are no manned desks for Thai passports, E-Gate only - in that case you can't follow.

[roger buttmore]

On 5/1/2019 at 1:28 PM, Pilotman said:

2.  I  was politely quizzed by Eva Air staff at LHR check-in on my Thai visa status (i was on a single to BKK) and asked to indicate in my passport both my current extension of stay and my re entry permit. 

 

3. As usual, I booked the VIP arrivals and fast track service at BKK, 1500 Bhat. As always it worked a treat as the queues in normal immigration were very long. Fast Track immigration desk was clear of a queue and I was in, stamped and out in less than 3 minutes.  IO smiling and polite (yes, really). 

 

Just curious:

 

2. Is there a reason you didn't buy a return ticket from BKK to LHR, or was it your first time getting into sync. re: tickets?

 

3. I've never used fast-track, does it also fast-track your baggage?  Otherwise I can't see the point. I breezed through immigration last week returning on my return ticket from LGW via Dubai on Emirates, but my baggage full of home goodies took about 20 mins to appear.

[wgdanson]

4 hours ago, Letseng said:

1500 Baht is a rip off by an agent. Someone sells the cards. While BFS did it it was approx. 800 Baht as they had airside ops permit. Fly business and you get it for free.

And how much more does business cost compared to economy?

[Pilotman]

4 minutes ago, roger buttmore said:

 

Just curious:

 

2. Is there a reason you didn't buy a return ticket from BKK to LHR, or was it your first time getting into sync. re: tickets?

 

3. I've never used fast-track, does it also fast-track your baggage?  Otherwise I can't see the point. I breezed through immigration last week returning on my return ticket from LGW via Dubai on Emirates, but my baggage full of home goodies took about 20 mins to appear.

It was actually the return portion of a BKK to LHR return ticket on Eva. 

 

I find BKK very efficient in getting the bags out and onto the reclaim,  much more so than say LHR, so no, VIP doesn't do that, but that never seems to be much of a problem.  Standing in long queues at Immigration is. My bags appeared within 10 or 15 minutes of leaving fast track immigration. So long as they are not having to deal with an A380, the baggage people seem on top of the job.   

 

 

[1FinickyOne]

On 5/1/2019 at 1:28 PM, Pilotman said:

IO smiling and polite

I have never had an IO who was not polite and helpful... 

[lagavulin1]

On 5/1/2019 at 1:35 PM, Pilotman said:

https://www.limousine.in.th/fast-track-immigration.html

 

You don't have to have a car from therm. 

Aargh. Just got back from DM last night. Nearly an hour in Immi. 

Great tip though. 

[johnnybangkok]

6 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

And how much more does business cost compared to economy?

Flying to Heathrow, EVA is approx. twice the price of economy (depending on when you fly) whilst Thai can be as much as 3 times.

Worth every penny in my opinion to be able to stretch out and have a good sleep, order food when you want it and drink whatever you want. Plus fast-track at the other end.

[Antiparovian]

3 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

Flying to Heathrow, EVA is approx. twice the price of economy (depending on when you fly) whilst Thai can be as much as 3 times.

Worth every penny in my opinion to be able to stretch out and have a good sleep, order food when you want it and drink whatever you want. Plus fast-track at the other end.

A complete no brainer. Never fly cattle class. Flack expected.....

[Pilotman]

5 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

Flying to Heathrow, EVA is approx. twice the price of economy (depending on when you fly) whilst Thai can be as much as 3 times.

Worth every penny in my opinion to be able to stretch out and have a good sleep, order food when you want it and drink whatever you want. Plus fast-track at the other end.

last time I looked,  2 weeks ago, Economy Return on Eva £700, Business Class £2,200.  Not  really twice.  

Edited May 2, 2019 by Pilotman

[roger buttmore]

6 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

It was actually the return portion of a BKK to LHR return ticket on Eva. 

 

I find BKK very efficient in getting the bags out and onto the reclaim,  much more so than say LHR, so no, VIP doesn't do that, but that never seems to be much of a problem.  Standing in long queues at Immigration is. My bags appeared within 10 or 15 minutes of leaving fast track immigration. So long as they are not having to deal with an A380, the baggage people seem on top of the job.   

 

Ah, understood. I must have misinterpreted. Identical circumstances to myself then re: the check-in query, which was also very polite and understood instantly.

 

Yes, there were a lot of bodies disembarking my flight from Dubai, in fact it was full on the Easter Monday when I returned. I'd forgotten that day was a UK bank holiday at time of booking. <note to self for the future to check such things.

 

I get my annual exercise after disembarking .. power-walk the whole foot journey from the arrival gate to immigration ????

 

While on the subject of passing immigration; perhaps 40% of the time I get individually picked and removed from the queue (if it's long and/or slow) by an IO and taken via a doorway to another almost empty set of VIP immigration desks and am on my way in no time. I think my Fred Perry style shirts, clean trousers and shoes, and short and tidy grey beard help. Let the old man through! (I'm late 50's) ????

[johnnybangkok]

4 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

last time I looked,  2 weeks ago, Economy Return on Eva £700, Business Class £2,200.  Not  really twice.  

As I said, depending on when you fly. I've paid twice as much; sometimes I've paid 3 times as much. It's all about peak/off-peak.

[Lacessit]

3. As usual, I booked the VIP arrivals and fast track service at BKK, 1500 Bhat. As always it worked a treat as the queues in normal immigration were very long. Fast Track immigration desk was clear of a queue and I was in, stamped and out in less than 3 minutes.  IO smiling and polite (yes, really). 

Edited yesterday at 01:33 PM by Pilotman

 

Anyone who is pregnant, incapacitated, a monk or over 70 years of age can avail themselves of a fast track Immigration service at Suvarnabhumi - free of charge.

[losworld]

6 hours ago, jaiyen said:

You obviously have too much money to waste on private cars and fast track. We are more realistic

don't waste your money on it now after this chinese holiday you likely won't be needing it until high season next year er... i mean smog season:)

[blackcab]

Troll and flame posts have been removed.

 

This thread is not about haranguing people because they choose one class of seat over another.