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Is it possible to purchase a simple immigration fast track pass without all the add ons ie meet and greet, baggage claim etc. All I am looking for is some thing similar to the passes handed out by airlines to their first/business class passengers.

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I'd have been interested in this too, but these last few entries at immigration for me has been very speedy, less than 10 mins on each occasion, that's arriving at around midday anyway, maybe I've just timed it right?

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TTSISUES "buy a business ticket"

very helpful thankyou for your time and trouble replying.

Jonnyscot - thanks for the reassurance but in previous years arriving at around 7/8 am has been very busy and taken ages to get through. Very frustrating when you see the immigration officer chatting and laughing on his mobile. Not enough to make me consider buying a business class ticket at an extra £3000 however LOL

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I've never used any of those services myself, and business is just too pricy for many of us, I have to get by with the economy flights my company provide me with unless I build up enough airmiles to qualify for an upgrade to business, but can't remember if it was either etihad or Qatar that used to give the fast track out to passengers not only business class,,

I benefitted from it on a couple occasions a couple years back but I've had 3 entries since December all flying in with Qatar and didn't get the fast track from them so it's either etihad that did it before or it's been stopped altogether.

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I used one of the commercially available services once, cost about 1100 baht.. was worth it, as Aeroflot don't hand out fast trak coupons to business class passengers.

But despite getting through immigration at the blink of an eye, I still had to wait for the luggage to come through for 20 mins.

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AFAIK, AoT do not sell what are now called "Premium Lane" passes directly to consumers. Rather they sell these in bulk to entities (airlines, hotels, credit card companies, banks, limo/transpo. providers, etc.) who then package/distribute/sell them to their customers.

I haven't looked but imagine there is a resale market for these somewhere here - none on the list o' craig thailand - I have accumulated quite a few but prefer to hold those for future use or give to family/friends.

Citi had/have a credit card tie-in/promotion which offered Premium Lane access. There may some other local CC tie-ins.

edited to add: OK, I looked: http://fasttrackcoupon.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-1.html YMMV

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Lomatopo -- Many thanks that is exactly what I have been looking for. Dont blame you for hanging on to passes. Last time I had one from airline I tried to hang on to it but the immigration official asked for it just before I went through.

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Santamed - my apologies - I didn't think I was supposed to actually be helpful ! :-)

Seriously though, as I am sure everyone knows there are two arrivals halls with the express lane in between. If the first one you get to is busy, try the other one, it's only a minute away and usually if one is busy then the other one is empty

But my top tip - find a friendly thai person while you are either on the plane or walking to immigration, and ask to go through the Thai Passport line with them. I have done this any number of times. No queue at all and as long as your new friend gives the nod to the lady directing people to the right lines you can go through thai passport.

Just need to have a friendly face I guess and be a bit cheeky, but as I said, I have done this plenty of times

Have fun

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Fly business class and then you will get fast track immigration .

Not always!

Ethiopian Airlines, Kenyan airlines, Aeroflot, Air India and also Jet Airways don't do it...I flown with them all in business class.

I even flew one of the ME airlines EMIRATES, QATAR or ETIHAD (forget which one) and they didn't have any fast trak cards on board.

I knew Aeroflot didn't do fast track so I booked the meet and greet for 1100 baht, the guy was there with my name on a sheet of paper and whisked me through the diplomatic channel after the cursory wai to the immigration officer.(Its all about tea money of course)

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Santamed - my apologies - I didn't think I was supposed to actually be helpful ! :-)

Seriously though, as I am sure everyone knows there are two arrivals halls with the express lane in between. If the first one you get to is busy, try the other one, it's only a minute away and usually if one is busy then the other one is empty

But my top tip - find a friendly thai person while you are either on the plane or walking to immigration, and ask to go through the Thai Passport line with them. I have done this any number of times. No queue at all and as long as your new friend gives the nod to the lady directing people to the right lines you can go through thai passport.

Just need to have a friendly face I guess and be a bit cheeky, but as I said, I have done this plenty of times

Have fun

you dont have to have a friendly face if you are old and have a walking cane

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Fly business class and then you will get fast track immigration .

Not always!

Ethiopian Airlines, Kenyan airlines, Aeroflot, Air India and also Jet Airways don't do it...I flown with them all in business class.

I even flew one of the ME airlines EMIRATES, QATAR or ETIHAD (forget which one) and they didn't have any fast trak cards on board.

I knew Aeroflot didn't do fast track so I booked the meet and greet for 1100 baht, the guy was there with my name on a sheet of paper and whisked me through the diplomatic channel after the cursory wai to the immigration officer.(Its all about tea money of course)

Well if you fly with these kind of airlines, of course you cannot expect to et your money's worth.

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Fly business class and then you will get fast track immigration .

Not always!

Ethiopian Airlines, Kenyan airlines, Aeroflot, Air India and also Jet Airways don't do it...I flown with them all in business class.

I even flew one of the ME airlines EMIRATES, QATAR or ETIHAD (forget which one) and they didn't have any fast trak cards on board.

I knew Aeroflot didn't do fast track so I booked the meet and greet for 1100 baht, the guy was there with my name on a sheet of paper and whisked me through the diplomatic channel after the cursory wai to the immigration officer.(Its all about tea money of course)

Well if you fly with these kind of airlines, of course you cannot expect to et your money's worth.

If only BA flew to Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and Liberia from Bangkok eh?? Dream on! There's not a lot of choice out there but still the champagne was nice!

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whistling.gif I'll tell you a secret, it's up to you if you choose to use it or not.

As it happens I had an accident a few years ago with my right leg. I spent 12 days in hospital due to complications to my leg from that accident and I still have problems climbing stairs and walking long distances from the effects of that accident.

S I will often request a wheelchair when i fly and land in Swampy, mainly due to the distance from the landing gates to the immigration area.

In my case it's legitimate, but just be aware that with a wheelchair you get priority service to include going through the VIP and Priority immigration gates.

As a byproduct of being in the wheelchair the process of going throigh immigration, getting your baggage, and the priority treatment (including using the elevators to bypass the long walk from the arrival gate) I'm usually through and into a taxi when others on the same plane are still going trough the queue in immigration.

I admit to feeling funny about being helped like that, but i do often need the help.

Like I said, it ofen makes me one of the first ones through the process however.

Doesn't cost anything either.

whistling.gif

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Most airlines offer wheelchair service at no extra charge. Obviously it is on the 'honor system' so if everyone, who was able to walk - a brisk long walk is probably one of the best things you can do after a flight - started abusing this service, then I'd imagine they might start adding a fee for it, or those who really need it might have to wait even longer?

Also note that on some airlines wheelchair pax are the last to de-plane. And elevators, assuming you will go down to level 1 for ground transport, are a bit scarce - not sure I'd want to go down the 'travelator' in wheel-chair!

And having to wait for checked luggage seems to be the long straw?

Doesn't cost anything either.

I guess a tip is out of the question? rolleyes.gif

If you are infirmed, mobility-challenged, elderly or otherwise are unable to walk safely then you definitely should request wheel-chair service from your airline prior to departure - this note can be added into your record locator.

I always have a premium lane pass,departing or arriving, except on TG (arriving only - for some strange reason they do not distribute Premium Lane passes to business class pax. in-bound to BKK) - but if the lines are short, I use the regular east or west Immigration halls and I pocket the passes for subsequent use, or gifts to family/colleagues/friends.

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The only ones I know also have the meet and greet... And cost 1,100 thb

Which may be Bette than the 3000 GBP you were mentioning for business ticket

http://www.limousine.in.th/fast-track-immigration.html

Also some credit cards run deals... I know city bank will provide fast track immigration if you buy the tickets through their travel department... Although no sure how competitive the flight costs are

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

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Most airlines offer wheelchair service at no extra charge. Obviously it is on the 'honor system' so if everyone, who was able to walk - a brisk long walk is probably one of the best things you can do after a flight - started abusing this service, then I'd imagine they might start adding a fee for it, or those who really need it might have to wait even longer?

Also note that on some airlines wheelchair pax are the last to de-plane. And elevators, assuming you will go down to level 1 for ground transport, are a bit scarce - not sure I'd want to go down the 'travelator' in wheel-chair!

And having to wait for checked luggage seems to be the long straw?

Doesn't cost anything either.

I guess a tip is out of the question? rolleyes.gif

If you are infirmed, mobility-challenged, elderly or otherwise are unable to walk safely then you definitely should request wheel-chair service from your airline prior to departure - this note can be added into your record locator.

I always have a premium lane pass,departing or arriving, except on TG (arriving only - for some strange reason they do not distribute Premium Lane passes to business class pax. in-bound to BKK) - but if the lines are short, I use the regular east or west Immigration halls and I pocket the passes for subsequent use, or gifts to family/colleagues/friends.

TG Arriving just show your Business Class Boarding Pass to Fast Track, No Problem

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When booking the flight online, tell them you need a special assistance . Appear at the check out with a walking stick, you will be helped out all the way, VIP fast track included...Happy Days thumbsup.gif

Does that really work?? I have often wondered biggrin.png

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When booking the flight online, tell them you need a special assistance . Appear at the check out with a walking stick, you will be helped out all the way, VIP fast track included...Happy Days thumbsup.gif

Does that really work?? I have often wondered biggrin.png

Worked for me everytime, tongue.png Should have kept that to myself or it will be exposed. lock.gif

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When booking the flight online, tell them you need a special assistance . Appear at the check out with a walking stick, you will be helped out all the way, VIP fast track included...Happy Days thumbsup.gif

Does that really work?? I have often wondered biggrin.png

Worked for me everytime, tongue.png Should have kept that to myself or it will be exposed. lock.gif

You obviously have no idea as to what a social conscience is .Not surprised though .

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When booking the flight online, tell them you need a special assistance . Appear at the check out with a walking stick, you will be helped out all the way, VIP fast track included...Happy Days thumbsup.gif

Does that really work?? I have often wondered biggrin.png

Worked for me everytime, tongue.png Should have kept that to myself or it will be exposed. lock.gif

You obviously have no idea as to what a social conscience is .Not surprised though .

True, I was born in disadvantage area in Ireland, Maybe i was brought up like this.. rolleyes.gif

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