SkiAdcock

Both of those look good.

Cheers.

Kagehitokiri

i would agree/think not "government", because APEC is multi-government, for example
and as kokonutz just mentioned private like CLEAR

kokonutz

Agree.

It is based on fare class, not airline. So which specific airline forum would it be discussed in?

Same with TSA 'priority access' lines. SEA, for example, is (or at least was last time i was there) famous for the long list of what is (and is not) allowed at that TSA priority access lane.

Another random example (not sure if it is private or government run) that is perfect for this proposed forum: http://www.clubmobay.com/ (note, this is a COMBINATION lounge/immigration fast track product...I have used it and it is awesome)

Point being, is this forum about programs that require a background check first, or is this forum about any and all ways to skip security and/or immigration queues?

Kagehitokiri

destination in addition to airline, and travelbuzz

it relates to VIP/CIP, even though its just a queue not a service like those
recent VIP discussion has been in and i think moved to travel products forum now that it exists
ive always been surprised at how little VIP discussion there is on FT

what you just linked is VIP. its commercial, regardless of government connection or not, and has nothing to do with trusted traveler (trust certain people after qualification, background check, annual fees, etc) - its available to anyone for a fee per use. unlike US/HK/JP for example where they do not offer VIP services, because of government policy.

btw thanks for link, as im always interested in VIP offerings.

kokonutz

I am always interested in VIP offerings as well! Which is why I am suggesting that this new forum may be the perfect home for VIP programs in addition to background check programs...that it *could* be a home for any and all ways to skip or cut security and/or immigration queues.

Kagehitokiri

VIP (rather than trusted traveler) >

speaking as someone extremely interested in VIP, i would personally not want it to be a tiny percentage of discussion in a trusted traveler focused forum. there is currently a thread in travel products, and travel products is not an overwhelmed forum. and there can be discussion in other forums including destination, hotel, airline, etc depending on who is offering what services.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...t-service.html in travel products

id love a VIP forum, but considering so little discussion..

SkiAdcock

To me, and I think others based on the posts in Practical that actually started the idea of a 3rd forum for TSS (see post #1 of this thread), it's the former - ie, those that require background checks. The latter seems more suited for Practical forum (or the appropriate airline or destination forum or TravelBuzz).

Cheers.

kokonutz

I'm trying to understand the logic of the distinction in this forum.

From a traveler's perspective, skipping/cutting the security/immigration queue is skipping/cutting the security/immigration queue.

In the US there are a few ways to do it that get one different levels of cutting the queue. In the UK there are a few ways to do it. In Australia there is at least one. Same with Jamaica.

Personally I like to skip/cut the security/immigration queue at every opportunity possible. I don't care how or what it takes...money, background checks, premium cabin tickets...I just want to be able to do it. It sure would be nice to have one place on FT where that process is discussed.

Gosh, a wiki-thread that had airport-by-airport possibilities for skipping the security/immigration queues in this proposed forum would be an A-MAZ-ING resource not just for all FlyerTalkers but for all travelers!

GUWonder

Why wait? I'm one of them and it's already in play in some ways and will remain so for years and years. And discussing/debating it has been useful, whether some people like the discussion/debate or not.

Indeed, it would be very useful. Not sure why a new forum/subforum would be needed to do that.

kokonutz

It wouldn't. But a forum would bring some focus.

GUWonder

While diluting another existing forum or two or more?

Would creating a new forum really bring more focus to threads, when there are some differences from airline to airline that may get better attention as they are now than they would get in some new home?

As may be pretty clear to some, forums are more likely to go zombie than be entirely eradicated regardless of "success" of the new forum.

kokonutz

I'm torn.

Back when I flew UA nearly exclusively I liked it that all of the fast track info related to UA or UA hub airports or UA destinations was in the UA forum.

But ever since the Houstonization of UA, I have become a free agent to the lowest business class fare. So now mostly what I want to know is whether and how a business class ticket on, say BA or DL or AF helps me jump the security and/or immigration queues. Or how I can jump the queues otherwise. I could dig through the forum of the airline I am flying and the destination that I am flying to that week....or if this info was centralized in a single forum I could find it all in one place.

So maybe my thinking on this issue is very selfish...

GUWonder

Self-interest is understandable. It is the confluence of concerns arising from
self-interest -- even if perceived as selfish interests -- that helps serve way more people than just one's self.

I am just throwing in my thoughts about this because I find that forums with thinned out participation are less likely to be useful to me or allow me to be helpful to others. I certainly tend to benefit far more from high-activity threads/forums than from low-activity forums.

exbayern

As a long time reader (and former frequent poster) at TS&S, I find that in recent months the practical side is mostly all related to trusted traveller programs. There are very few threads dedicated to non-trusted traveller, practical issues.

And unfortunately, my experience with those was that they tended to be US-focussed, even if the question wasn't even about travelling to/from the US or TSA topics.

I'm a user of trusted traveller, but to be honest don't find much use anymore in the Practical forum. I don't know if further diluting it would serve much purpose. (I'm apparently quite late in reading this, because it sounds like it pretty much has already been decided, other than the wording/format?)

drewguy

A separate forum would likely exacerbate that problem (or "problem").

That said, I'm fine with the proposal.

I'd also be fine with some moderator editing of thread titles, such as "Is Global Entry Worthwhile?", which really should be something like "General Global Entry Discussion Thread" At a minimum the title no longer deserves a question mark.