capin

Hi all,

I'm still a Cathay novice, Having only flown with them a few times in F, J and Y.

I have OWE (BA) and am flying PE EWR-HKG-BKK next Saturday. What do you think my chances are of getting a fast track pass for BKK onboard or deplaning please?

chris63

HKGglobaltrotter

Fast track pass only for F and J pax as far as I am aware. Status holders are not entitled for it. Back in November/December last year when I was lining up at the premium lane, I have witnessed a few elite frequent flyers being turned away AT the immigration counter when officers asked for their boarding passes. One SQ PPS member was complaining to the officer that she is a top tiered member and that SQ gave her the pass, etc. The past 3 times I used the fast track the officers had asked me for my boarding pass twice; they told me only F/J pax are entitled to use it for arrival. I am not sure if they are still that strict about this. You could always ask the ISM for one and give it a go albeit you've also be warned about being turned away at the spot!

royng

used BKK premium lane for entry in mid Jan 2019 once. Didn't ask for boarding pass to check if i was flying J class

ricktoronto

Zero. Elites or anyone in Y and PE zero.
They give FTP to J passengers (and I guess the rare F flights that go into BKK) and that's it.
Plus if you have the pass when you get to Fast Track if the boarding pass doesn't say Business (or First) you don't get to go through.

It was quite the little racket of people buying these or otherwise obtaining them, and not flying in premium classes causing backlogs. No doubt there is a fee as well but with the usual TIT behaviour, it was flight services and whatnot doing more business than premium airlines business so they changed the pass rendering all the hoarded ones useless and made it quite specific that no F or J, no admittance. They certainly looked last time both inbound and outbound - November in December out.

Apparently there is one limo company selling FT but I'd not bet the farm on it. Also I understand they are stocked with one per sold J seat and unless there are a load of monks, APEC people or diplomats refusing them, it's hard to say if there would be any to be had.

sxc

Cambo

Fast track at BKK got tightened up last year and somewhere this February again. There is even Fast track card verification to boarding pass at the Fast track arrival entry (currently no check at departure). No card with proper boarding pass, no entry, so to say.

I got the Fast Track card handed out exiting the airplane (two times in the past 2 days). So it looks, the Fast Track cards are no longer distributed widely among airlines to handout at their choice, but now indeed only for F/J passengers handed out by the gate agent at BKK.

Even wheel chair assistance (arrival) passengers now need a Fast Track card, to be able to use the Fast Track lane. Without that, passengers need to go with their airport guide through the normal immigration lane. Which leads to long waiting times for the assistance to become available Expect waiting times up to 30-45 minutes BKK, are you reading this ?

londonexpert

chris63

SQTraveller

Wow that is a big tightening ... I use to save some of my fast passes and then use them when there was a massive queue!

chris63

cdgbear

I hope BKK will start using automated immigration System like Australia! Any rumors for improvement???

Cambo

I don't think so, the Thai immigration system/rules are far to complicated and prone to be bent, an automated system can't handle that.

chris63

capin

Yeah, me too. I have one of the new ones from my last BC flight.