Finally some enforcement of the Priority Lane?
Nov 18, 2018, 1:51 am
#1
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Finally some enforcement of the Priority Lane?
I know this is not strictly TG, but as is related to BKK and services that might have been procured from third parties when flying TG, I take the chance of posting here 
I realise there has been talk of some welcome restrictions on who can get the priority lane immigration vouchers at Suvarnabhumi as of late - but coming through yesterday morning on BA10 I was asked for my boarding pass by the immigration officer to verify that I had indeed flown J or F. Also they have new (printed paper) signs up at the booths saying that vouchers are ‘Only valid with a First or Business Class boarding pass’.
This is a very welcome change if you ask me, so I hope it is there to stay! Especially as Priority Lane was empty aside from me (first off the plane) but the normal immigration was jam packed! They even closed the entrance to it and told people to move to the other end towards the lower D-gates..
I realise there has been talk of some welcome restrictions on who can get the priority lane immigration vouchers at Suvarnabhumi as of late - but coming through yesterday morning on BA10 I was asked for my boarding pass by the immigration officer to verify that I had indeed flown J or F. Also they have new (printed paper) signs up at the booths saying that vouchers are ‘Only valid with a First or Business Class boarding pass’.
This is a very welcome change if you ask me, so I hope it is there to stay! Especially as Priority Lane was empty aside from me (first off the plane) but the normal immigration was jam packed! They even closed the entrance to it and told people to move to the other end towards the lower D-gates..
Nov 18, 2018, 2:34 am
#3
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(I have one too, but not as big as the now useless brown ones)But I fear that a Star Gold Track would be jam packed too as every man and his dog these days can get such a card
Nov 18, 2018, 2:41 am
#5
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True about TG Platinum - for me it is just flying J that opens the door, so this change is a very welcome one seeing it will make my journey shorter (hopefully!)
Nov 18, 2018, 7:40 am
#6
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Nov 18, 2018, 7:57 am
#7
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I was asked to show my boarding pass in the normal immigration queue the other day, was on TG917. Don't think I've ever been asked for it before lucky i kept it in my phone case because i normally don't worry about after boarding . Not sure what would have happened if I couldn't show it to the immigration officer it's not a requirement for entry as far as I know
Nov 18, 2018, 10:12 am
#8
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I suppose showing your boarding pass would corroborate when you flew in from, and so assist the immigration official in deciding to allow you entry or not...
Nov 19, 2018, 1:03 am
#9
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Nov 19, 2018, 1:41 am
#10
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For TG, miles flown in cattle do not count for Platinum Status
to get HON at LH/LX/OS you had to fly multiple times more in Y than in J or F
Nov 19, 2018, 3:13 am
#11
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Perhaps more common on oneworld? For example BA gold and QF platinum - lots of those fly econopmy but do status runs.
Nov 19, 2018, 4:45 am
#12
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I think the key word in your statement is "sometimes" - at least for oneworld airlines, I believe that if these are given to top tier pax in Y, that is because the crew is being generous. I could be wrong though, but do not believe it is a published benefit anywhere.
Nov 19, 2018, 4:48 am
#13
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TG Platinum, and HON with LH Group are a few of the exceptions who have a requirement for premium class sectors. E.g. for most oneworld and Star Alliance programmes, it just takes (a lot) more flying to reach the top through Y, but not impossible. I think quite a lot of people make it that way.
Nov 22, 2018, 8:14 pm
#14
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My experience (flying SQ on 13/11 in J) was the new Fast Track card, the same shape as a playing card but smaller, with an SQ stamp on it. The Immigration Officer asked for it but did not ask to see my boarding pass (haven't been asked to show that for some years now). AFAIK 70+ year olds are supposed to get Fast Track as a matter of course but I've never seen anyone trying to claim that privilege simply by showing their passport (I fall into that category now). The Premium entrance is so poorly obscured it was clear that a large number of my fellow J passengers had no idea where to go
Nov 22, 2018, 10:44 pm
#15
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TG Platinum, and HON with LH Group are a few of the exceptions who have a requirement for premium class sectors. E.g. for most oneworld and Star Alliance programmes, it just takes (a lot) more flying to reach the top through Y, but not impossible. I think quite a lot of people make it that way.
But it is not easy AKL-BKK-AKL gets 9000 miles in K and 12000 in Q. And Q is becoming quite expensive.....
I would need 4 such leisure trips in a year unless supplemented by work trips.
