Tracking BA Fast Track and Priority Boarding
Oct 9, 2015, 2:30 pm
#242
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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05:00 hrs. Sometimes a few minutes before, sometimes a few minutes after. You can't check in any bags until 05:00 hrs either. You can arrive at T5 for 06:30 quite safely for that flight, if you prefer. I think they open the departures area around 04:30 hrs, before that you can camp out downstairs in Arrivals, where the café stays open 24 hrs. I think they deliberately make it uncomfortable to be there, they certainly don't encourage people to overnight at T5.
Oct 21, 2015, 2:40 pm
#243
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AAdvantage Gold, AS Gold, SPG Gold, Emerald Club
Posts: 237
Flying the following next year:
Depart: ORD-LHR-CPH
Return: AMS-LHR-ORD
All of that will be on BA metal, outside of my domestic connection here in the states. We'll be in J on the Departure and F on the return. Based on what I've read in this thread, should we be looking for fast track both ways through LHR?
Also, can we hope/expect anything similar in AMS?
Thanks!
Depart: ORD-LHR-CPH
Return: AMS-LHR-ORD
All of that will be on BA metal, outside of my domestic connection here in the states. We'll be in J on the Departure and F on the return. Based on what I've read in this thread, should we be looking for fast track both ways through LHR?
Also, can we hope/expect anything similar in AMS?
Thanks!
Oct 21, 2015, 10:02 pm
#244
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: glasgow, scotland
Programs: BA Executive Club Gold
Posts: 224
Hopefully a positive update for this thread, the new general 'PRIORITY/FAST TRACK' security search at AMS (just after check in as opposed to at the gate areas) certainly accepts One World Emerald (at least I'm not sure about Sapphire). Been through on a couple of trips and just had a glance at the BP and 'EMERALD, please come through'. This was when booked in economy so assume club gets the same priority as the security lanes are marked as such.
Oct 30, 2015, 1:28 am
#245
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 27
I don't think I can edit the wiki yet, so here's an update for OPO:
Travelling economy, but as BA Gold with Airnostrum / Iberia:
In order to use the Fast Track line (which was the fastest Fast Track I've even been in!), the check-in clerk needed to attach a small bar code to my boarding pass, which the Fast Track clerk needed to scan.
Travelling economy, but as BA Gold with Airnostrum / Iberia:
In order to use the Fast Track line (which was the fastest Fast Track I've even been in!), the check-in clerk needed to attach a small bar code to my boarding pass, which the Fast Track clerk needed to scan.
Oct 30, 2015, 8:49 am
#246
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bangkok / London
Programs: BA Silver, AmEx Platinum, AVIS Presidents Club, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,107
05:00 hrs. Sometimes a few minutes before, sometimes a few minutes after. You can't check in any bags until 05:00 hrs either. You can arrive at T5 for 06:30 quite safely for that flight, if you prefer. I think they open the departures area around 04:30 hrs, before that you can camp out downstairs in Arrivals, where the café stays open 24 hrs. I think they deliberately make it uncomfortable to be there, they certainly don't encourage people to overnight at T5.
Oct 30, 2015, 7:56 pm
#247
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
You will not be able to go airside on arrival at T5 without a same day boarding pass (even arrivals from domestic destinations are checked).
Now that T1 is closed, I think all of LHR airside is closed overnight.
Your bag can be checked through on an overnight, but you will have to go landside somewhere.
I believe some special arrangements are made for IRROP'd pax without leave to enter the UK.
Dec 13, 2015, 12:41 pm
#248
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA and UK
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 1,351
Just a data point for the appropriate persons:
Both myself and my guest enjoyed full OW "Priority" at AMS including checkin, security and boarding when flying Euro Traveller. My Silver seemed to allow everything at AMS now where previously Priority security was restricted to CE.
And what a mess AMS is. And that is possibly the worst BA owned lounge in the system.
Both myself and my guest enjoyed full OW "Priority" at AMS including checkin, security and boarding when flying Euro Traveller. My Silver seemed to allow everything at AMS now where previously Priority security was restricted to CE.
And what a mess AMS is. And that is possibly the worst BA owned lounge in the system.
Dec 31, 2015, 12:00 pm
#249
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OTP this week:
- No priority security but when I was there the area wasn't crowded at all
- Separate line for boarding premium passengers at the gate. General boarding with an agent on the right side, premium on the left side with a second agent. I got down after boarding had started and the lines were still there.
- No priority security but when I was there the area wasn't crowded at all
- Separate line for boarding premium passengers at the gate. General boarding with an agent on the right side, premium on the left side with a second agent. I got down after boarding had started and the lines were still there.
Last edited by CMK10; Jan 1, 2016 at 3:08 pm Reason: Typo
Dec 31, 2015, 12:23 pm
#250
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Helvetia
Programs: AS; BA Silver; UA; HH Gold; Sprüngli Connaisseur
Posts: 2,912
On Monday leaving ZRH there was a staff member looking at boarding passes in the Business/First security line. This time I was in IB Business, but on both Niki and BA in Y in the past my boarding passes have been marked 'PRIORITY' as a BAEC SCH, and I've been able to use the Business/First line.
Jan 2, 2016, 12:10 am
#252
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: ZRH/VIE
Programs: Dormicum Gold, DVM lifetime, AWS platinum, EC/MM
Posts: 52
On Monday leaving ZRH there was a staff member looking at boarding passes in the Business/First security line. This time I was in IB Business, but on both Niki and BA in Y in the past my boarding passes have been marked 'PRIORITY' as a BAEC SCH, and I've been able to use the Business/First line.
Jan 2, 2016, 12:41 am
#253
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 756
Transferred LHR T5 to T3 on 30th December, this was into the new security area, and was refused fast track security, despite it being clearly marked on my BP. The lady at the podium flatly refused me access despite being shown my pass and repeatedly told me fast track was for first and business class pax.
The other area was precricallybempty so I went through. I did find a supervisor on the other side and whilst he did apologise, he did not appear to be that interested.
On exit there was BA CS desk, I told them but was again greeted with apathy.
Have I got this wrong??
The other area was precricallybempty so I went through. I did find a supervisor on the other side and whilst he did apologise, he did not appear to be that interested.
On exit there was BA CS desk, I told them but was again greeted with apathy.
Have I got this wrong??
Jan 2, 2016, 1:57 am
#254
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Helvetia
Programs: AS; BA Silver; UA; HH Gold; Sprüngli Connaisseur
Posts: 2,912
Good to remember. That's pretty rare though, and I find that the difference between the Priority and Economy line to be about 2 minutes anyways. ZRH is usually very efficient and professional. I can't remember the last time that it took more than 5 minutes even in economy w/o status. It might be because the Kapo runs security, so we have actual police officers staffing the search. And, if they do a good job, they get promoted out of airport security. ^
Jan 2, 2016, 5:14 am
#255
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,433
Transferred LHR T5 to T3 on 30th December, this was into the new security area, and was refused fast track security, despite it being clearly marked on my BP. The lady at the podium flatly refused me access despite being shown my pass and repeatedly told me fast track was for first and business class pax.
The other area was precricallybempty so I went through. I did find a supervisor on the other side and whilst he did apologise, he did not appear to be that interested.
On exit there was BA CS desk, I told them but was again greeted with apathy.
Have I got this wrong??
The other area was precricallybempty so I went through. I did find a supervisor on the other side and whilst he did apologise, he did not appear to be that interested.
On exit there was BA CS desk, I told them but was again greeted with apathy.
Have I got this wrong??