Airlines who don't give arrivals priority immigration passes

[ItDontMeanAThing]

I've twice flown business class round trip from BKK. Returning from SYD this month, Emirates gave a pass for the immigration priority line. Last June, on KLM from AMS, no pass was given.

 

In your experience, what airlines do and don't give passes for arriving passengers? When you flew probably is useful, don't know if the departure airport is.

[siam2007]

1 hour ago, ItDontMeanAThing said:

I've twice flown business class round trip from BKK. Returning from SYD this month, Emirates gave a pass for the immigration priority line. Last June, on KLM from AMS, no pass was given.

 

In your experience, what airlines do and don't give passes for arriving passengers? When you flew probably is useful, don't know if the departure airport is.

 

MH always give, entering and exiting the country. If not, ask for it during the boarding process. It happened to me that they even gave me a Premium lane card when I was flying Y-class only, but that could be an error due to the fact I was checking in at the business class counter due to my oneworld sapphire status. MH check-in in BKK is performed by Thai Airways staff. The lounge MH uses nowadays ("Louis Tavern") is crap though, head to the new Cathay lounge if you r a oneworld status member instead.

 

 

[Stocky]

The times I've not received a Premium Lane card I've always managed to use the Premium Lane by just showing my boarding card stub that states I was flying business class and explaining the airline ran out of cards.

[siam2007]

4 hours ago, Stocky said:

The times I've not received a Premium Lane card I've always managed to use the Premium Lane by just showing my boarding card stub that states I was flying business class and explaining the airline ran out of cards.

 

 

interesting and smart approach. Gotta try that too next time in such a scenario

[Argus Tuft]

Pays to ask the airline, soon after boarding.  They may have only limited stock of cards - or none at all, in which some cases they have arranged airline staff to greet me on arrival and escort me through fast track. Not always, but asking does help.

[baneko]

Sorry to jump in. How do you go thru immigration fast track departing. Do you go through the same escalator to go to immigration or is there another entry point?....I know the fast track for arrivals....

[Stocky]

There are separate entrances at ground floor level, don't go up the escalator, just follow the signs for 'Premium Lane' to get to your nearest one.

 

.

[wpcoe]

50 minutes ago, baneko said:

Sorry to jump in. How do you go thru immigration fast track departing. Do you go through the same escalator to go to immigration or is there another entry point?....I know the fast track for arrivals....

What escalator?  

[Aussieroaming]

Emirates dont always hand out priority passes but business class stub is sufficient.

[baneko]

What escalator?  

The escalator to bag search then the escalator to immigration....

[wpcoe]

20 hours ago, wpcoe said:

What escalator?  

 

15 minutes ago, baneko said:

 

The escalator to bag search then the escalator to immigration....

 

 

Whoops.  I missed the "departing" part.  I was trying to picture where an escalator was for arrivals.  My bad.  

[Shaksey]

Sometimes they've run out and once when they didn't hand them out at all I asked the CSD and he had never even heard of the fast track pass but when I asked he searched and found a huge stack of them.

[bubba]

Just an observation from last week:

 

Seems so many passengers now have Fast Track passes that the queues are getting really long at departure. Last week the queue was out the door and down the terminal wall with a wait of 20 minutes. I saw some people leave the queue and go up the escalator to the normal channel. 

[DipStick]

5 hours ago, bubba said:

Just an observation from last week:

 

Seems so many passengers now have Fast Track passes that the queues are getting really long at departure. Last week the queue was out the door and down the terminal wall with a wait of 20 minutes. I saw some people leave the queue and go up the escalator to the normal channel. 

Yes I have seen such queues at the priority departure many times, however it's generally not those with premium passes that holds up the line.

if you look at the entrance to these priority lanes, there is a large sign, stating who is eligible, and the list is, Monks, Over 70's, Pregnanr Women, Families with Children, infirm persons. cabin Crew and then priority pass holders.

so that's a huge chunk of passengers, then it's not helped by having only two narrow security checks, then a relatively narrow entry to the Immigration followed by only three immigration booths, one being sealed off for cabin crew.

[Briggsy]

Sri Lankan will not give out priority passes on the plane when arriving in Thailand in business class. They may not be a member of the Airport scheme.

 

Departing, business class passengers are automatically given a priority pass when checking in.

[DjSilver]

Anyone knows if turkish airlines gives priority passes?

[NanLaew]

8 hours ago, DjSilver said:

Anyone knows if turkish airlines gives priority passes?

For Business Class departures, who knows? For Business Class arrivals, use your boarding pass stub.

[Pilotman]

On 07/04/2017 at 10:07 PM, Shaksey said:

Sometimes they've run out and once when they didn't hand them out at all I asked the CSD and he had never even heard of the fast track pass but when I asked he searched and found a huge stack of them.

Bet that was BA? 

[Prbkk]

Vietnam Airlines does not give on arrival, even for J passengers. They do give on exit through BKK. They too try to push people to Louis' Tavern , although Air France Lounge is much better for anyone with Sky Team status ( although it's closed until they move into a new one next month).

[Pilotman]

I came through BKK with my daughter a few weeks ago.  I was in Business and she was in Economy. on the same flight (don't judge, I am paying for her Uni, so she gets an economy ticket ) . We were on Eva, I got the Premium Channel pass and took her through with me,.  They never questioned us only having one card and we were though in 5 minutes.  A business ticket is worth avoiding the hassle at immigration, both ends, unless its at that dump that is Heathrow of course. 

[wpcoe]

The last couple times I went through the Priority Lane (non-TG flights) on arrival they never asked to see the card.  Without fail, though, upon departure they wanted to collect the card.

[Aussieroaming]

On 4/14/2017 at 6:34 AM, bubba said:

Just an observation from last week:

 

Seems so many passengers now have Fast Track passes that the queues are getting really long at departure. Last week the queue was out the door and down the terminal wall with a wait of 20 minutes. I saw some people leave the queue and go up the escalator to the normal channel. 

Thai Airways obviously have the best set up for departing Business and First Class Passengers, 5 minutes max from check in counter to the lounge. The premium departure lane can get pretty congested.

[Prbkk]

8 minutes ago, wpcoe said:

The last couple times I went through the Priority Lane (non-TG flights) on arrival they never asked to see the card.  Without fail, though, upon departure they wanted to collect the card.

The luck of the draw....sometimes the arrival guys don't ask but more often than not they do. And I've seen people turned away for not having one. Yes, the exit guys are red-hot in collecting them.

[Prbkk]

4 minutes ago, Aussieroaming said:

 The premium departure lane can get pretty congested.

I've seen it back more than halfway across the terminal....usually around 8-10am is the problem. Yes, Thai is a breeze ( but they screw their own gold card members out of that lane).

[bubba]

14 hours ago, Aussieroaming said:

Thai Airways obviously have the best set up for departing Business and First Class Passengers, 5 minutes max from check in counter to the lounge. The premium departure lane can get pretty congested.

I do agree with you regarding Thai Airway's exclusive Immigration counters for First and Business Class passengers. That really is a breeze and never a queue more than one or two people. Only problem is, then you have to board a TG flight.

[bubba]

14 hours ago, Prbkk said:

I've seen it back more than halfway across the terminal....usually around 8-10am is the problem. Yes, Thai is a breeze ( but they screw their own gold card members out of that lane).

It's not just TG. I am not aware of any Star Alliance airline gold card that allows the use of immigration fast track at any airport. 

[Prbkk]

1 hour ago, bubba said:

It's not just TG. I am not aware of any Star Alliance airline gold card that allows the use of immigration fast track at any airport. 

Quite a few do, including reciprocal rights for TG Gold members ( sometimes it's security screening only, sometimes immigration as well). Lufthansa, SAS, Austrian, Air NZ, Aegean, Brussels, Egytair...are the ones I know of, probably more. TG in BKK, neither security nor immigration.

[rimmae2]

Thai Airways Gold Card Members can use the TG Immigration Counter when travelling in any class (First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy) and when travelling with someone else who has a Silver Card or no card I have had no problems in the other passenger using the Immigration Counter. I have been doing it for years (apart from when I had a Platinum Card, for which the rules are different). For frequent travellers who are Star Alliance Gold Members have a look at Star Alliance Gold Track - saves a lot of time and hassle.

[bubba]

27 minutes ago, Prbkk said:

Quite a few do, including reciprocal rights for TG Gold members ( sometimes it's security screening only, sometimes immigration as well). Lufthansa, SAS, Austrian, Air NZ, Aegean, Brussels, Egytair...are the ones I know of, probably more. TG in BKK, neither security nor immigration.

Yes, I have seen priority screening for *G cards, but not fast track immigration when travelling economy. Just curious: in which airports have you seen that?

[bubba]

2 minutes ago, rimmae2 said:

Thai Airways Gold Card Members can use the TG Immigration Counter when travelling in any class (First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy) and when travelling with someone else who has a Silver Card or no card I have had no problems in the other passenger using the Immigration Counter. I have been doing it for years (apart from when I had a Platinum Card, for which the rules are different). For frequent travellers who are Star Alliance Gold Members have a look at Star Alliance Gold Track - saves a lot of time and hassle.

I guess you had better luck than I, as I have been turned away from the dedicated TG immigration lane (after first and business class checkin) when traveling economy on a gold card. I also enquired with a counter agent and they told me that this service was for first or business class only.

 

Unfortunately, there is no *A Gold Track at BKK, but those are for security screening only. Wouldn't be of much help at BKK since the holdup is with immigration.