How do BA/AA fast-track passes work on immigration queues?
 

Hello all,

sorry if this question has been asked before but i havent been able to find any thread related to my specific question and havent found anything on BA/AA websites.

My question is basically:
- when travelling to which airports is this pass given? (im mainly interested in US/UK/MAD)
- is it always given or only subject to airport conditions?
- to whom are these fast pass tags given? F/J classes only? or also to OW Emerald/Sapphire card holders?

Thanks a lot for the information!

Fast-track arrivals immigration is only provided for arrivals into airports that have a Fast-track or priority lane for immigration. In my recent experience, I have found this at two airports only -- London Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur. All airlines landing at LHR hand these out to their First and Business Class passengers (though it would be great if they could hand them out to top-tier elites stuck in cattle class as well!) :)

Which raises a related question in my mind: Does any US airport offer Fast-track arrivals immigration? Perhaps at the airline-controlled terminals, such as the DL and AA terminals at JFK? Any one know?

I too only recall seeing fast-track arrivals at Heathrow. (I haven't been to Kuala Lumpur recently.) Most airlines give the cards to the first- and business-class passengers before arrival on long-haul flights. I don't think that they are generally given out on short-haul flights, which is inherently illogical since passport queues can be just as long after those flights.

I'd have to say that sometimes it is faster and sometimes it isn't. Usually, though, I think it is, and I guess it is never likely to be grindingly slow – although there are usually only a couple of passport officers so it would just take two long, complicated interviews to block the whole queue.

I have seen fast-track passport control on exit at Sydney, certainly at the exit that leads to the lower gate numbers. When I used it in January it was certainly slower than the ordinary queue.
:(

I agree... perhaps the logic is for short-haul flights, most pax are EU residents for whom the immigration procedures are fast to begin with? The last time I arrived (with a US passprt) at T1, I was probably one of three people in the passport line. The rest seemed to zip through some kind of EU lanes.

The Fast Track at LHR T3 is not open in the evening (I'm not sure what the hours are at the other terminals now, but suspect they are similar), so I don't think the passes are given out on the morning departures ex-US. (Immigration queues when those flights land tend to be relatively short.) IME Fast Track is usually faster, except when there's no backup from an earlier flight in the Immigration Hall and all the non-EU pax from the front of the plane head over to the Fast Track queue, with no one in the "Other Passports" queue.
CDG now has a fast track for departures, but I don't know if they've added one for arrivals.

SYD, MEL & BNE also have fast track immigration.

PRG - to my surprise - also offers this on departure.

Sadly US airports are more focussed on ensuring aliens are screened rather than looking after J/F pax.

Yes, but it's called GlobalEntry, and instead of being based on class of service, it's a separate program to which you must apply to the U.S. Government and be approved. If you pass the background checks, then you receive expedited processing by using a kiosk in lieu of passport control, and by being exempt from routine customs questioning (though you still could be examined at any time if the officers decide to).

But it's certainly "fast track!" The last few times I've used it, I've been through passport control and customs in under 2 minutes! Amazing! (assuming no waiting for checked bags)

It is only U.S. residents though

Interesting. There was no fast-track immigration when I arrived off a CX flight at Sydney last December. I guess it might depend on time of day too.

The last couple of times I have reentered Sydney, the customs people have checked my declaration while in the queue and gave me a stamp for the fast-track lane. I think they do it to people with nothing to declare.

They need to offer it on arrival. I have rarely seen such chaos at an airport as the arrivals hall at Prague where you wait for passport control...

fast track in asia
 

groundasia dot com offers this fast track service in most Asian and middle Eastern airports. it is possible but very expensive in Australia

Please continue to follow this discussion as it is moved to the One World forum. Thanks for your understanding.

Jouy31
TravelBuzz moderator

Hong Kong has the "HKIA Frequent Visitor's Card," which allows you access to fast track lanes on inbound and outbound immigration at HKG. You have to have a certain number of entires in a certain amount of time quality and to retain the card.

It works very well and is invaluable for outgoing immigration, which I find is longer than inbound.