FastTrack at GOT
 

Isn't there supposed to be a FastTrack security in GOT? I just arrived and expected the airport is a zoo, packed with tourists headed out on vacation.

Nothing wrong with that but when I hate one thing, it is standing in a line behind of 5 families with a bunch of children and elderlies trying to clear security... :(

There is and FastTrack sign and asking the guy at the BP control produced a 'yes, this is security'... pointing me to the mass of people and pushed me forward. No, really?

Waiting pissed in the line I intercepted another security guy rushing by and he said: 'Uhm, yes... Go there left and then cut the line and go right at the front'. Doing that of course I had to survive the glare of death from all the other pax waiting in line, some even shouted at me.

Then they kept scanning my backpack 4 times in the x-Ray and made me open my carry-on which really does not have anything in it besides s couple of shirts and underwear.... Unbelievable?

Is there some secret entrance to GOT FastTrack or is it just the way it is and it is combined with the regular security?

At least the new lounge is nice and I really like the noodle salmon salad :)

Askin

Fast track at GOT is usually really good and very valuable when the airport is full of Swedes trying to escape to warmer countries. You just use the right side of the entrance, have your BP scanned and then skip to the front of the line.

During the morning they often have a separate line for fast track, but during the day you just cut in line :-)

Exactly. Fast track works very well at GOT in my opinion. One has to keep to the right at the TV screens and in my experience twice in 20 odd trips remind the personel regarding entitlement. Walk straight into the dedicated area in the morning or it cuts straight to the front of the normal queue during the day as per alibi.

Sounds like you maybe missed keeping to the right and ended in the normal queue, well mistake on the person scanning, although they typically do not argue if fast track entitled people want to go in the normal lane.

During the mornings when security stretches to the stairs, I and many others walk past the gaggles straight to the Fast Track entrance. Never had anybody complain, maybe people thought you were not entitled and just simply jumping queue.

My only complaint is that LH does not pay for Fast Track at GOT. Admittedly if they paid for all *G then Fast Track qould not be fast at all but given how much LH charges for C, one would expect Fast Track.

Sounds to me they have a crappy setup there. Cutting the line? Seriously?? That is not my idea of how FastTrack should work. Why not keep a dedicated line setup up in GOT like in CPH, ARN or OSL? I guess there are more than enough Elite flyers departing there during peak times

Besides as far as I remember there wasn't any sign posted anywhere, something which could be fixed easily.

Cutting the line is how it works in most places. The fast-track in ARN T2 is also cutting in line.

While the ARN T5 fast-track is great because you end up in a separate line with only frequent flyers that require a fraction of the time a casual flyer requires, I don't usually find a cutting in line system that much slower.

Almost every US airport has a fast-track entrance but once they've checked your BP you end up ahead of the regular line, its all the same.

It's just impractical to keep a separate fast track line open in GOT. Most of the time, there is only a trickle of priority passengers (i never have someone in front of me when i use it) and security staff would just be bored.

Much better to spread the resources you have and then let priority passengers cut in line (there is a sign explaining this practice too). I never have any problems in GOT regarding fast track (>50 flights per year out of GOT)

I was in SVG yesterday and it works the same over there. In BGO today and expecting the same. GOT has it like this. TRF, also. It seems the standard Scandinavian model for fast track at medium sized airports according to Scandinavian standards. Just be glad you're not stuck in a regular line. :)

Oh, and did you already get the gloomy looks from everyone else in the queue who think you are cheating the line? Or did people from the regular line already step in front of you to not take their place? It happens all the time... :)

Yes, that exactly. It was pretty crowded in GOT yesterday and people were really angry... as said some shouted at me... probably the bad traffic jam on the highway to Landvetter, the hot temperature and bad organization at security (the lanes supposed to control the peoples flow ended 5m in front of the glass doors to the x-rays and created a "flooding zone" with everybody trying to squeeze to the open doors at the same time) took their toll.

That is exactly why I think the system sucks. In basic all European cultures (are there anywhere some where that is not that way?) it is a real bad thing to skip a line and walk up to the front with the gloom of entitlement. Enforcing your best customer to do a walk of shame is ridiculous, I would rather skip FastTrack then next time.

They could easily fix that by having at least a "FastTrack" feeder line which merges the regular line at the x-ray band so people see you took a special entrance which allows you to skip the line. Next to it should be a good idea to have the lanes ending in front of the security and not just 5m out.

Its really not that bad. If you're entitled to cutting the line you'll be allowed so. What is more broken in my opinion is that in most European cultures people are to afraid to send people back when breaking the rules. Like we're seeing when boarding any SK flight. They'll announce the order but there is never any enforcement. A very common side-effect of Swedish culture, 10.000 rules and no enforcement (except for taxes and speeding).

Try boarding an airplane in the US when you're boarding group #8 and they are only at #5. You're send back, as it should be. Or try using fast track when you're not entitled to. It won't happen.

If people shout it is a good time to put them in their place, provided you had legal access to fast track. You should really care less about angry faces or "walk of shame".

Actually, yesterday they didn't even notice a lady boarding the flight to CPH with boarding pass to ARN... It only came to light when the guy showed up with the same seat assignment. Never saw such a surprised FA before :)

Haha, true... They just enforced a tax payment of 90 SEK for my old live insurance from abroad.

I'm not that type of person who feels comfortable fighting with other people or ignore their offensiveness. I'm a nice humble guy who does not look for fights with strangers and I think it should not be necessary to force me doing it while using my loyalty benefits...

Perhaps a SAS initiative for personal development? ;)

And they have exactly that. There is a direct feeder line which ends at the x-ray with a sign asking people to give priority to people coming from the right.

Must have been blind or they removed it for the vacation rush. Will look for it next time

Just take that Diamond card, point to it and yell in your favorite Scandinavian language "WELL, DO ANY OF YOU SLOBS HAVE ONE OF THESE?!!" :D

That'll go down superduper well in a small Scandi airport ;)

(Also, I agree ... if there's not a clearly marked priority lane, I don't like running around asking for it, same w/ priority boarding).

You no doubt noticed, but BGO has it totally different. A dedicated security area not close to the regular line.

At SVG you most of the time just cut in line, but it works fine and 9/10 times you are in and out of security in a second. Sometimes however they have the security area just by the fast track dedicated to fast track only.

I... would... LOVE... this... :D :D :D

Yes, in fact I did this time. It'd been a while since I flew there, but I probably won't forget the maximum security prison treatment I got there anytime soon.

First, the location is worth a mention: it's on your way out of the airport, right next to the door to outside, so you have to walk back from where you came. I first thought it was some office or staff entrance, but it wasn't: it's the stairs for priority boarding.

Second, I was the only one using it at the time, security was bored and, lucky me, I got picked by the machine for a random check. not sure how often people get random checked, but I get it in over 10% of my flights.

Anyway, as they didn't have much to do, it was much, much fun to do this as dedicated and precise as they could. It took over 10 minutes and I feel petted like I've been a good dog... :rolleyes: