Fast track security for BA (or lack thereof) at Malaga (AGP)
 

I have been doing quite a lot of flying out of AGP recently with more to come, and am getting increasingly frustrated with the fact that although my BP always says 'Fast Track', I am not able to use the fast track security lane, as BA apparently do not pay for that facility and the BA BP's do not therefore pass the scanner test at the entrance to fast track.

Is it really acceptable that on a route which is sold heavily in CE (10 rows out of 25 on the LCY flights are often CE) BA are too mean to pay for the fast track facility ?

I feel your pain, I also think the check in at AGP could be better but I doubt if anything will improve.

That's a whole other story. I was told a couple of years ago, that the poor check in process is all down to a feeble internet connection. Can this be true in the 21st century ??

Even worse is that the single CE queue is regularly held up by large families with non EU passports, whose entitlement to fly to the UK seems to require much time to resolve. The person at the (single) ET desk never has the gorm to move the stalled CE queue along by calling people forward ahead of the ET pax.

Fiber Optic now installed.. Its still very poor but thats just the lackluster poor service attitude that predominates here in Malaga (my home town). Unfortunalty whilst its a wonderful place to live one has to adjust ones expectations as you board at Gatwick. Only today i was promised a call back in 20 mins from Americian Express that never materialized. Dont get me started on the passport control issues (currently working to rule) or the queues in and out of Gibraltar when our governments clash or my postal service etc etc etc.... the list goes on

And as for the fast track security in Malaga I just duck under the rope and walk to the front.

I've been doing this route for nearly 15 yrs and it's never been good for any airline. The new-ish Terminal layout makes you very fit by sending you the length of the building a few times. Don't get me started on car rental drop off and the new motorway layout for exit and entering the airport.

But as for fast track, there's been moans about Heathrow "Fast track" (pre-first wing), as for a southern Spanish airport, I've always found them not to be fast at most things! Manana! Manana!

...but in fairness I'm used to the ridiculous pace of life in London!

Fast track not working for a BA silver travelling BA Y this week although the guy at the gate let me through with a shrug of his shoulders.

It had worked previously in Y (and also failed in J) so your guess is as good as mine moving forwards.

Hi we fly to Malaga quite often and were bounced out of the fast track queue too very annoying. Also experienced lengthy delay at CE check in due to 2 non EU ladies with lots of luggage in front of us, the ET queue would have been quicker! Not a brilliant start to the journey

Am I alone in noticing a regular occurrence of Spanish airlines in the UK and Spanish check-in desks needing to make a phone call for almost every person checking in? Who are the staff calling and why!? Maybe I'm just unlucky!

Bumping this rather than starting a new thread. Flying into AGP next week and would appreciate any anecdotal updates on the current queuing situation inbound / outbound.

if from LHR or LGW then this is the usual premium security lanes with the relevant status or fare. If from AGP then there is no change as from 2 weeks ago...just the usual Spanish Inquisition!!

If the boarding pass shows 'Fast Track' what happens if you just wave it at someone and bluff your way through? It sounds as if scanner/software recognition is the issue - is there a human you can interact with?

Not just AGP - Seems to be anywhere where theres a machine as opposed to a human that can wave you through, fast track doesn't seem to work.

Malaga Fast Track back working for me a few days ago. Did not have it on my paper biarding pass but was on my phone. Flew ET as a silver.

As a side note I efectivly just cut the queue before security (the back and forth bit ) and was directed into the substantial backlog at the xray machines saving prehaps 3 or 4 mins at the most..Was through in 15 mins max.

Flying back into Malaga there were no queues at passport control despite it being peak .

Can I ask what this actually means, in practice? Flying LGW-AGP at beginning of Sept and other than reading about Schengen mayhem in the papers (with Malaga listed as a problem hotspot) I'm not sure what to do about it. Flying back from AGP on a Sat (Sep 9th) on BA2715 (14.10) - any advice when we should get there?

Will CE/Fast Track help in any way with the current passport issues if we manage to get in, or is it only in the bag security queue that it makes any difference? (travelling hand luggage only, so no manual check-in)

Thanks!

If CE then you will have access to Premium Security lanes at LGW next to the Bloc Hotel entrance. Upstairs from check in zones. The security lanes only check boarding passes and then your personal belongings. There is no passport check at this stage, unless this has changed? Passport checks are normally done at the Gate, you will see the queue alongside the walking escalators for this. Feel free to try to get the front for CE queue, if you can stomach the 'tuts' and 'looks' from the rest of pax! :D

As hand baggage only you should be through security and into the new lounges with 15mins. Depending on time of day and day itself. Others can verify this.

As for departing AGP, someone above has said Fast Track is now available for CE or status pax? I normally arrive within plenty of time, 2-3hrs, as I enjoy lounge time and AGP security is bit of a crowd gathering organised chaos, especially if theres the last of the summer holiday makers heading back! If Hand baggage only then 1hr 45 is comfortable enough to get you from security to gate with the possibility of some lounge time too.

However it maybe the case that border control in front of C gates can be quite a long queue in summer season, so I would recommend leaving enough time for this. I'm actually returning the day before you so may give an update if I can on this. So overall CE/Fast track doesn't help with passport queues but does help for security queues at AGP.

Feel free to correct any of this should others who are more regular or recent on this route know any different or have updates.

Hope this helps.

Safe flying.

To add to this, on arrival into AGP, there are new-ish electronic border gates, if they are open on your arrival. There should be 2 queues for the border gates, one for the historic man with hat in hut checking passports and the other for the new electronic passport gates.

Again its not well organised and may take some initiative to sort this out on your own self, if you are brave! Being in CE you have the advantage of getting off first. However if there is another flight arrival just before yours then you may find yourself at the back of an already long queue. It's a rather long corridor leading to passport control and it was roped in half for manual check or electronic check.

If you are travelling with a partner it maybe worth sending someone up to the check point to see what the situation is with manual or electronic systems being used and then decide from there. Hopefully you're lucky and there is no queue. Again other more regulars may know better.

Yes please!
 

Thanks very much! This is very useful. Any updates at the time would also be highly appreciated ^

So is it now confirmed that AGP has fast track for CE and status pax?

I would also be interested to know this for our next flight in November, as we were refused entry to fast track in May despite being CE.

Unknown, I will find out in a few weeks time, unless someone finds out before me?

It may have been the case that the person further up this thread got lucky with fast track and slipped through! (not to doubt the poster) but AGP or Southern spain in general can be quite unpredictable and adhoc in there processes and procedures!

Yes, however it did not work with paper boarding pass but did so with the BA app. Its Spain so VMMV of course, just because it used to work ( or supposed to work ) does not mean it will.. On the one time it did not work the guy just let me through anyway.

Does clearly say fast track on the app (both IOS & Android) although NOT on the paper pass and I was travelling as a status pax on all three occasions in the last 4/5 weeks.

Passport control coming into Malaga can be hit and miss but only once have I had any real delay issues. Passport control leaving is the usual 2 mins from Gate C.

Any updates on the Fast Track lanes at AGP? I am off there tomorrow and returning in a week . Any info to ease the pain at AGP is most welcome.

TIA

We went through AGP last weekend. There was a Fast Track lane but virtually no one was being allowed to use it. When we asked we were informed that the "Priority" label on our IB boarding pass referred only to boarding and not to security clearing. It didn't seem right, but the normal queue was moving and it only took about 10 - 15 mins to get through (4pm on a busy Saturday in August).

I have seen the Fast Track at AGP, it's just to the right as you approach the Disney style queue for normal security, there is a yellow sign stand with various airlines, I recall Detla being one.

However I suspect this is all very ad hoc in who gets through or who doesn't. So it seems based on the above replies this isn't set in stone yet. I would have thought a IB ticket would get through vs BA but I imagine the rules aren't defined. I am travelling through the weekend after this one so I will report back.

Unless there is another added experience announced on here!

I was allowed to use FT security on 18th aug. OWE and CE So not sure which, or if both, waved the magic wand. However, I had nearly lost the will to live checking in my bag and the q at border control at C gates was awful - so Good luck with that. :D

Did you use a printed BP or one on your phone?

Mrs Doccykins and I both went through Fast Track security at AGP on August 20th without a problem; she's Blue flying BA J AGP-LGW with a paper BP and I was Gold flying AY J AGP-HEL with mobile BP - both beeped green on the scanner and we joined the nearest belt

Sounds good, thank you.

You have encapsulated so pithily my own experiences in that queue. I have now become a regular at AGP and shudder at the prospect. Although coming from W of AGP, I actually think that it is sometimes easier / quicker / less stressful to drive past AGP to GRX.

Last time I stood in the stationary CE queue (25 mins to process the 6 pax in front of us), watching enviously as the neighbouring cattle class Aer Lingus (?) queue zipped along at lightning speed.

And then, don't start me on the time that it takes the unsmiling lounge dragon to process people entering the lounge ..... Although maybe lounge visits are going to become a thing of the past, given the vagaries of the C pier passport queue and how much time one has to allow for it :td::mad:

probably a printed one.. if I check a bag I always ask for a printed boarding pass just in case my phone lets me down!

exactly!!

Have to say getting through AGP this morning was OK for a change. The Club check in line moved quickly and the new Fast Track was good and most welcome as the normal queues were very long. Incidentally the man who checked us in did not know that there is now Fast Track for BA, despite it saying so on the BP.

So is it official now BA can use Fast track?
What sort of BP did you have paper or mobile? Thanks

I used a paper BP issued when I checked in my bag. It did say "Fast Track" on it but don't think it matters as the person checking entry to Fast Track asked which airline before asking to see the BP.

Beware that it can still take about twenty minutes to clear passport control so I would not wait for the flight to be called in the lounge.

That's what happened to us in May the paper BP said Fast Track but she wouldn't let us through when we said we were BA, she pointed to a list of airlines on a stand and BA weren't listed! So has it officially changed or does it depend on the person staffing the line?

I think that it might be a case of poor training/bad communication to the people involved as the person who checked me in said that there was no fast track, but his colleagues corrected him.

OK thanks I'll confirm it at check in then too

I have just tried Fast Track at AGP 10 mins ago. I would not call it Fast as such but this was because the main security line was short and quiet at 9pm BST.

The line was open, however the same staff was told to man both the FT and the main queue. It didn't quite work and was a bit pointless as you simply feed into the main security conveyor belts anyway. She/he would have to walk over remove the 'rope' and allow you through, once you had there attention! That's the tricky part especially as a brit doesn't like to attract attention in public! :D There is no dedicated security conveyor belt for FT.

You will see from the attached photo that BA is now included in the list of carriers permitted to use FT or Carril Rapido for any Spanish linguists.
The line is to the far right of the security area in big yellow branding. Don't be confused by the separate security to the very far right as this is for staff only.

I'm off to tackle Passport Control...

Brilliant thanks for the confirmation and photo, as I said last time we were there BA wasn't on that board.

I'm trying to work out the sequencing on that list of airlines. Most likely to ask? Most DYKWIA-ish?