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The circus at the BKK arrival fast track continues

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The circus at the BKK arrival fast track continues

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Old May 7, 2012, 6:47 am
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by pdsuk
My additional bolding

Everyone has different experiences -- I find arriving and leaving into HKG to now be quite a horrendous experience, I am astounded that a so called world class airport does not offer any premium immigration.
I am half and half with you on this one.

I totally agree with you regarding HKG not having a premium/fast track line. But they do make up for it with other options, well, for the locals and frequent travelers. If you can go through those (e-channels, etc.), you never have to wait more than 2 minutes - 95% of the time I experience no line at all (both departure and arrival).
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Old May 7, 2012, 10:58 am
  #32  
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Is your post missing? Posts deleted used "unnecessary roughness" and violated TOS by attacking another member, or replies to same. /JDiver, Senior Moderator
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Old May 7, 2012, 8:11 pm
  #33  
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Originally Posted by JDiver
Is your post missing? Posts deleted used "unnecessary roughness" and violated TOS by attacking another member, or replies to same. /JDiver, Senior Moderator

Thank you !

Let's formulate it as following: Airline X is advertising fast track arrival service for its C passengers at its homebase, but this service is denied.

What can we do ? No answers like flying F, APEC card, hotel pick up, sweet talking, fly another airline etc... please.

I will recheck the issue again next week and should I be refused hire a local law firm to sue airline X for wrong advertising.

Last edited by cblaisd; May 7, 2012 at 8:23 pm Reason: Removed unnecessary characterization in the interest of continued harmony & civility
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Old May 7, 2012, 8:29 pm
  #34  
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Originally Posted by behuman
Thank you ! Why this topic can not be discussed without strong emotions by some Thai apologists ?
Quit the idiotic apologist vs 'injured' individual. Please.

You didn't get what you should have. We understand. Most of us have not had this problem but you did. Its unfortunate you had to deal with this. Yet to claim that those who haven't had this problem are emotional apologists and you aren't emotional is a stretch.... at best.

I'd say AOT is at fault more than TG in this. Not that it does you any good.
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Old May 7, 2012, 8:39 pm
  #35  
 
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Fast Track BKK

I am finding the Fast Track in BKK simply superb. Fortunately I use a hotel that has a rep to meet and greet at the aircraft and a good supply of spare Fast Track vouchers.

Life is very good in BKK -stop Grumbling...
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Old May 7, 2012, 11:51 pm
  #36  
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I am not judging life in BKK nor am I using a hotel representative.

I am a simple TG C passenger who expects the advertised benefits and it would not surprise me if at my next arrival I would be miracoulosly granted fast track immigration. I might have been unlucky and others like dsquared37 did not encounter this problem.

Should it however not work, I guarantee that TG will not get away with it this time. Most of you might not know that Thais LOVE to sue people and companies for more nonsensical stuff - and I fully agree that fast track is not a matter of death or life .

It's the inconsistency that makes Thailand a place that can become unexpectedly dangerous in some cases. To all of you making a joke of my post I wish that you never encounter something more frightening in Thailand.

I also have spare fast track cards, the new golden ones (the previous ones are not accepted anymore ) and of course I could use the central premium lane with them. These cards I have from so called reputable airlines .
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Old May 7, 2012, 11:59 pm
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by behuman
Thank you !
Let's formulate it as following: Airline X is advertising fast track arrival service for its C passengers at its homebase, but this service is denied.
Denied by the airline or AOT? My opinion is the latter.

Originally Posted by dsquared37
I'd say AOT is at fault more than TG in this. Not that it does you any good.
I'm with you on this one.

Originally Posted by behuman

Most of you might not know that Thais LOVE to sue people and companies for more nonsensical stuff -
Really? I didn't know that I thought it was just the Americans!!!
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Old May 8, 2012, 12:04 am
  #38  
 
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BKK Fast Track

Not wishing to labout the point, but if you have spare Fast Track vouchers, why not carry them use them when TG do not provide.

First rule of travel - expect the unexpected and you wont be dissappointed!

Simples really!
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Old May 8, 2012, 12:36 am
  #39  
 
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It seems strange that TG boarding passes are not being accepted for fast track arrival - clearly a communications cock-up between TG and the immigration dept. Probably worth raising with the flight attendants next time you are on board.

My usual meet and greet service failed to turn up on a recent SQ arrival, I happened to have one of the old TG purple invitation cards so flashed that at the immigration officer and found no problems going through fast track at all. Best of all he let me hold on to the card so I can use it again should the situation demand
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Old May 8, 2012, 8:56 am
  #40  
 
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I have a question for those of you who regularly connect through BKK.

My family and I are traveling on *A TG award tickets to HKT later this year. We are arriving at BKK on F tickets, connecting to a TG C class flight to HKT. Our departure is the reverse (TG C HKT -> BKK and TG F BKK -> onwards).

From reading this thread it looks like we will get the Fast Track vouchers since we are arriving in TG F. Is that correct?

And on departure, we will be checking our bags through to HKG at HKT. I assume that we will go through the passport check in HKT and just do a normal transfer at BKK. Again, is that a good assumption?

My apologies for a potentially stupid question, but this thread make me a bit paranoid.
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Old May 8, 2012, 4:26 pm
  #41  
 
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Originally Posted by cheltzel
From reading this thread it looks like we will get the Fast Track vouchers since we are arriving in TG F. Is that correct?

Better than that! You'll get a buggy service that will take you from the gate to the lounge, or immigration (if you are going to HKT some other day)

And on departure, we will be checking our bags through to HKG at HKT. I assume that we will go through the passport check in HKT and just do a normal transfer at BKK. Again, is that a good assumption?

Yep, you'll get a sticker (that easily falls off) to put on your shirt to identify yourself upon arriving at BKK. You won't have to go through immigration again, not even carry-on baggage screening! I guess someone else will have to answer you about the buggy service, don't have that experience of domestic C/F -> Intl F.
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Old May 8, 2012, 6:16 pm
  #42  
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Originally Posted by cheltzel
I have a question for those of you who regularly connect through BKK.

My family and I are traveling on *A TG award tickets to HKT later this year. We are arriving at BKK on F tickets, connecting to a TG C class flight to HKT. Our departure is the reverse (TG C HKT -> BKK and TG F BKK -> onwards).

From reading this thread it looks like we will get the Fast Track vouchers since we are arriving in TG F. Is that correct?

And on departure, we will be checking our bags through to HKG at HKT. I assume that we will go through the passport check in HKT and just do a normal transfer at BKK. Again, is that a good assumption?

My apologies for a potentially stupid question, but this thread make me a bit paranoid.


Arriving in F will get you a buggy transfer to, and an escort through, immigration (no vouchers needed). Alternatively, if you have sufficient time before your HKT departure, pax are beginning to re-gain F lounge access during the layover.

For your departure you have it correct. Check your bags in HKT through to destination. Go through passport control and enjoy the international lounge (modicum of additional food and alcohol). Upon arrival in BKK you'll need to still go through transfer security but that is all.

It's likely that you'll be met by TG staff upon arrival in BKK no matter if arriving at a gate or by the bus.
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Old May 8, 2012, 6:18 pm
  #43  
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Originally Posted by kittiyut
Yep, you'll get a sticker (that easily falls off) to put on your shirt to identify yourself upon arriving at BKK. You won't have to go through immigration again, not even carry-on baggage screening! I guess someone else will have to answer you about the buggy service, don't have that experience of domestic C/F -> Intl F.
That is not correct.

Immigration is indeed taken care of HKT, but to gain access to the international departure level all pax must pass through transfer security at either the D/E/F/G confluence or the D/A/B/C confluence.

[bolding mine]
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Old May 8, 2012, 6:40 pm
  #44  
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Originally Posted by kittiyut
Denied by the airline or AOT? My opinion is the latter.
I'm with you on this one.
You raise a very interesting point kittiyut.

It could well be AOT wanting to force TG to BUY actually the new golden premium vouchers (for the central premium fast track immigration). TG until now used the "diplomatic" counters on the far right and still does so for their escorted F arrivals.

Some internal feud going on to the detriment of the paying TG C passengers.


(And to reassure all fellow FTalkers: I always carry the new golden vouchers with me and can switch anytime to the central immigration lanes, my thread is about principles and advertised perks - and last but not least in the interest of FTalkers who arrive in BKK for the first time with TG C.)
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Old May 8, 2012, 7:30 pm
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by dsquared37
That is not correct.

Immigration is indeed taken care of HKT, but to gain access to the international departure level all pax must pass through transfer security at either the D/E/F/G confluence or the D/A/B/C confluence.

[bolding mine]
Hmmm, maybe what I experienced was an exception?? I just returned home from HKT to HKG via BKK on the 3rd. My sticker did fall off (and I lost it), I didn't have to go through baggage screening, just a guy looking at my passport and boarding pass (and he was rude about me losing my sticker). Maybe that was the immigration "again" part? BTW, I was bused in to the terminal - maybe the procedure is different if you got a gate?
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