Would you pay to jump the queues at the airport?
That was the question I tusselled with on ABC Melbourne Radio recently with host Charlie Pickering, the new host of the drive-time slot.
Our conversation came out of the news that Sydney Airport has launched its new Fast Track lanes – are they worth the money, or just another airport fundraiser? I have to say, they sound like the queue for those of us who can’t get out of Sydney fast enough. But Melbourne jokes aside…
Take a listen…
I admit that I am notorious for running hard to the wire with flights – so would a $20 fast-track make me arrive even later? Happy to learn that Charlie is in fact in the same boat, a serial last-minute kinda guy. Wait, I’m not saying I hold the plane up; I get there on time, but not for me hours spent hanging around airports, shelling out money on overpriced food that could better be spent at my destination.
We’ve dubbed the Fast Track ‘Business Lite’, for people who don’t want to queue, but can’t afford business class. So they get to feel a little bit elite, at just $20.
However, the real question is: isn’t this fast track at the wrong end of the journey? The queue-jump is available when you’re starting your journey; surely they’d be more useful at the other end, when you’re arriving home shattered after a 14-hour flight from the Middle East? Or imagine you’ve just jumped off a Project Sunrise flight, Qantas’ non-stop London to Sydney flights that have just seen the first planes roll into Melbourne from Toulouse just this week? Those flights are 22 hours long – please somebody, let me jump the queue so I’m not wrangling with the Smart Gates, running the gambit of the duty-free ladies flogging (not very) cheap gin and synthetic perfumes. Cannot. Get. Out. Of. There. Fast. Enough. $20? As the ad goes, shut up and take my money!
I spoke with Melbourne Airport before the interview; they have no intention of introducing Fast Track lanes from international departures, and to be fair, it’s extremely rare that I’ve been caught up in anything more than a 10-minute wait here. And you’re still at the mercy of the person in front of you as they cautiously unthread their belt, unlace their shoes, pull their laptop out, realise they’ve got a half-bottle of water which they’d like to drink…
Similarly at the other end, the great leveller, for everyone from the cheapest budget flight seats to First class, is customs. And in Melbourne, that can be horrific. Because I am – always – the woman who buys the elk sausage. The bag of spices. The biltong. The weird Japanese frozen strawberries… all have to be checked and declared.
Jump on to listen to me and Charlie on 774 MELBOURNE talking Smart Gates, queue jumping, children’s vomit and why customs queues are the great levellers between first and economy-class travel.
Who can use the Fast Track service in Sydney?
All passengers can buy and use the Fast Track service at Sydney Airport’s T1 departures, but it does not include priority security or border processing for departures or transfers.
What other countries have fast-track services?
Plenty of countries have fast track lanes in their airports, including the United Kingdom and Singapore. They are open to frequent flyers and other premium program members. However, many countries include fast-track lanes for free for families with young children, including the Scandinavian countries and most other European countries.
Does Melbourne Airport have Fast Track departures?
No, Melbourne Airport does not have a pay-as-you-go Fast Track lane in its international departures.
