Sydney airport Express passes

[mrsterryn]

Are they able to be used when not flying an appropriate class or have status?

They don't always take at Sydney

 

[CMA222]

I have so many incoming (never relevant) and almost as many outgoing Express Lane passes that I have been given to use at Sydney International Airport it is embarrassing. I have subsequently used the outgoing passes for any flight flying any class on any airline on any day and found that in BNE the Incoming passes, that are irrelevant in SYD, actually work, and they still do not take them. In short if they have the Express Lane symbol you can use them in SYD or BNE or MEL and probably others, without a problem.

 

[whughes3]

At MEL now it appears they no longer give out physical outgoing Express passes; the relevant info is printed on your BP.

 

[kermatu]

They are largely becoming irrelevant but yes, can be used by anyone. I have a stack of unused cards which I give to non-status relatives and friends to use. Never been a problem (and they often haven't needed to surrender them either).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Good question. I have lots of these too, and was going to give away some the other day but noticed two different styles from the same airline... one probably newer than the other. I wasn't sue if the queue guardian would spot the difference and take away the pass.

 

[AIRwin]

Good question. I have lots of these too, and was going to give away some the other day but noticed two different styles from the same airline... one probably newer than the other. I wasn't sue if the queue guardian would spot the difference and take away the pass.

I always try to use older ones and have presented it without issues...

 

[kpc]

I had an argument a year or 2 back....my family of 4 were returning to Syd on Ak, and we used some QF ones (mine from previous trips)....immigration guy when off his head...I asked him to show me where it said I couldn't use them if not flying Qf...he glared at me, stamped our passports and off we went!

 

[Berlin]

At MEL now it appears they no longer give out physical outgoing Express passes; the relevant info is printed on your BP.

I had that happen in Sydney too last week but they still also gave me a physical pass of which I also have piles at home. I wonder if they’re working on generally phasing out the physical ones? Would make more sense, actually.

They are VERY useful though at some overseas airports, Bangkok comes to mind as a good example.

 

[Denali]

I thought the argument was they keep them to back charge the airline so if they are going to print them on the boarding pass, they are going to assume 100% of people used the express lanes for back charging as not everyone does.

 

[mrsterryn]

I have so many incoming (never relevant) and almost as many outgoing Express Lane passes that I have been given to use at Sydney International Airport it is embarrassing. I have subsequently used the outgoing passes for any flight flying any class on any airline on any day and found that in BNE the Incoming passes, that are irrelevant in SYD, actually work, and they still do not take them. In short if they have the Express Lane symbol you can use them in SYD or BNE or MEL and probably others, without a problem.

I have never used an inbound at Sydney.

 

[kermatu]

Don't think I've used an inbound card for the last two years. I heard someone ask about the express lane a few months' back, to which the officer's response was "The nothing to declare lane is the express lane". Can't recall if that was Sydney - may have been Melbourne.

 

[Berlin]

Inbound to Sydney is only ever useful if you arrive early morning at the same time as several other (often big) aircraft. That's at least my experience- at all other time they don't even open a specific Express lane. Quarantine is a very simple exercise at SYD anyway- if you're white and hold an Aussie passport, it's lane 8 and out you are. Anyone else gets send to the X-rays or gets fed to the dogs

Back when I was still traveling on a German passport, it was ALWAYS hell on arrival as I needed to queue up at the "Others" queue at immigration and then was never sent to lane 8. EVER.

 

[Berlin]

Dragging this old post out because the topic is related: Sydney International airport is absolute shambles at the moment. No Express lane at departure due to renovation, endless queues with the great unwashed. Took me about an hour to get through it all and people are NOT happy. The poor check in and lounge staff gets the abuse even thought it’s most certainly not their fault but rather Macquarie’s airport nonsense. So be warned!

 

[Denali]

Dragging this old post out because the topic is related: Sydney International airport is absolute shambles at the moment. No Express lane at departure due to renovation, endless queues with the great unwashed. Took me about an hour to get through it all and people are NOT happy. ....

Do you still get express passes even though its closed? To use next time?

...... The poor check in and lounge staff gets the abuse even thought it’s most certainly not their fault but rather Macquarie’s airport nonsense. So be warned!

People abusing the agents because the express path is closed (and beyond their control) need a clip around the ears for being aholes

 

[Berlin]

People abusing the agents because the express path is closed (and beyond their control) need a clip around the ears for being aholes

Nope, you don’t. The boarding pass on the Qantas app still stated “Express lane” but that was for nothing.

 

[mrsterryn]

I wonder how long before the Express is back

 

[Denali]

Im wondering what exactly they are "renovating" considering it was a just a door and small ramp that lead you into the main area with different rat tunnels to walk through.

 

[Pushka]

Dragging this old post out because the topic is related: Sydney International airport is absolute shambles at the moment. No Express lane at departure due to renovation, endless queues with the great unwashed. Took me about an hour to get through it all and people are NOT happy. The poor check in and lounge staff gets the abuse even thought it’s most certainly not their fault but rather Macquarie’s airport nonsense. So be warned!

We got so lucky this afternoon. From landing to Bus to immigration and with extra questions due to US and into the FLounge was all of 30 minutes. Immigration was deserted.

 

[daft009]

Im wondering what exactly they are "renovating" considering it was a just a door and small ramp that lead you into the main area with different rat tunnels to walk through.

Hopefully to an area with its own dedicated smart gates

 

[Berlin]

I wonder how long before the Express is back

Not before August, according to Qantas staff. And knowing those things and given it's Macquarie operating this airport, I wouldn't necessarily count on timely construction.