Fast lane pass at Brussels Airport

[sn26567]

Normally passengers travelling in superior classes of an aircraft get a fast lane pass for their baggage check. A war seems to be brewing at the tour operators:

Jetairfly: Fastlane-pass at Brussels Airport. Today in all newspapers. Already since March 2008 included for all VIP Selection travellers

Response of TCAB: Fastlane-pass: Thomas Cook BE is indeed the only major tour operator offering this free of charge to all passengers

[KriVa]

Now let's just wait for the fast lane to become the slow lane.

[9vsmu]

I am worried about the on time performance, because of pax showing up very late.

Ground staff, once again, might be the victim, to make sure bags make it on time.

And guess who will be complaining about flights leaving too late ???

Right, same people using fast lane

[convair]

So, you're saying flights might be delayed because pax would go too fast through security!
That's a good one!
Calls for late passengers are mostly for those who spend time in the tax-free supermarket; you often see them running to their gate with 2, 3 or 4 shopping bags.
Moreover, you seem to have a pre-conceived idea about pax using the fast lane: why would they be the ones to complain most in case of delay?
However, I agree with KriVa about the fast lane becoming the slow lane, same as the lounges becoming overcrowded and loosing their comfort and quietness.

[sn26567]

I guess that a fats lane must be an additional source of income for the airport. Does anybody know the level of the supplement to pay to go through the fast lane?

I guess that this supplement is automatically included in the cost of a business or economy flex ticket. But it is hard to figure out how it can be included in the cost of a cheap holiday ticket.

Another question: do Thomas Cook customers travelling with other airlines than TCAB also benefit from the fast lane?

[airazurxtror]

I see on the site of Thomas Cook travel :

Réservez le Pack Confort à 35€ par chambre et profitez ainsi d'encore plus d'avantages. Le Pack Confort comprend l'accès au fast lane séparé à l'aéroport de Bruxelles et maximum 3 arrêts lors de votre transfert vers l'hôtel à l'aller et au retour. Vos vacances débuteront ainsi d'autant plus vite!

In some airports, "fast lane" can be bought; e.g. Manchester :

In a rush to start your holiday? Pre-Book FastTrack now, just £3.50* per person!
FastTrack is a new dedicated channel to enable you to fly through security and reach the departure lounge more quickly. It is now available to pre-book for all
Must be booked before 10pm the day before you travel.

Seems it's not so at Brussels :

With Fast Lane you can cut your waiting time at security screening by up to half. Your boarding pass and a simple barcode give you access to a separate VIP lane towards screening.
Whether or not you are entitled to make use of this service depends on your airline and the class you travel in.

Budapest mix the two systems :

The Fast Track Lane service is available to all passengers – depending on airline eligibility or individual decision of the passengers.
In addition to certain airlines' premium passengers economy or any low cost airline passengers may also gain access either through pre-purchasing the product from their airlines or by visiting one of the sales points in the Terminal.
The Fast Track Lane vouchers cost 1500 HUF or 5 EUR.

[9vsmu]

So, you're saying flights might be delayed because pax would go too fast through security!
That's a good one!
Calls for late passengers are mostly for those who spend time in the tax-free supermarket; you often see them running to their gate with 2, 3 or 4 shopping bags.
Moreover, you seem to have a pre-conceived idea about pax using the fast lane: why would they be the ones to complain most in case of delay?
However, I agree with KriVa about the fast lane becoming the slow lane, same as the lounges becoming overcrowded and loosing their comfort and quietness.

Trust me. Lot's of pax paying for this "privelige" will be convinced they will make it one time to the gate, even after a visit to the shops . There will we no time loss at security, "because they can go thru the fast lane".

[convair]

Correct, but then ample time to load their bags onto the plane.

[Sabena320]

Keep it for the 'real' premium passengers and not for the families with children making the fast lane a slow lane...

[SNam]

Correct, but then ample time to load their bags onto the plane.

I guess he is referring to the "check bagage" procedure.

When passengers using the fast lane spend more time in the duty free shops because they think they can just walk through security, and then suddenly the fast lane is overcrowded. Which will result in a no show at the gate and then you have to look for those bags in the aircraft hold. So in that case the flight will be delayed.

[BRU]

In A pier shops are behind security, so should not be an issue. Once connector open, same for B pier. So too long shopping and then too late at security and gate should not be the case.

Staying too long in the shops thinking they have all the time was, is and will be a problem for some of them.

[9vsmu]

Correct, but then ample time to load their bags onto the plane.

I guess he is referring to the "check bagage" procedure.

When passengers using the fast lane spend more time in the duty free shops because they think they can just walk through security, and then suddenly the fast lane is overcrowded. Which will result in a no show at the gate and then you have to look for those bags in the aircraft hold. So in that case the flight will be delayed.

That's exactly what I mean.

[BATAVIA]

Eventough I nearly fly C or F class, I agree with Sabena 320,.
Maybe one Day, I Will become like some lounges...... Frequent flyers, travelling in Y class, seperated in a different more crowded lounge, than actually flying C or F class, that system works fine in auh, Ey lounge, everybody happy.....
Maybe 3 different lanes at security, in the very far future....Sounds silly but..........

[airtrainer]

Priority Lane can be purchased at CRL for 4€.

[Stij]

Why should the wait be longer?

If BRU gets more money for these lanes, they should just open more of them. I imagine as well that there're service level agreements for these fast lanes.

In any case, I almost never have the privilege to use the fast lanes, but the wait at the normal lanes in BRU is manageable (almost never more then 10 minutes in my experience), especially compared to the wait at US airports. There I can use the Priority lanes with by Bronze BA card and the wait is generally longer than the normal times at BRU.

Cheers,

Stij

[sean1982]

RyanAir is also planning to allow passengers who buy the new business product that will be introduced in september, access through the fast lane at selected airports. As BRU is part of this business strategy, i'm sure that this is planned here.