VIP Airport Services: Are They Worth It?
It is easier to skip long airport security lines and immigration lines when you hire a private escort. A growing number of airport concierge companies promise this service to departing and arriving passengers. The companies offer their services in airports around the world and are independent of airlines and airports (they have permission to operate at the airports where their services are sold).
In the past several years airports have become busier, which has increased the popularity of these services, according to airline and airport analyst George Hobica. He said they are ideal for travelers who get frustrated waiting in long lines, have trouble navigating through an airport or who have a tight connection at an airport. If you like to board a plane just when the doors are closing, a concierge is a great idea, he said. In addition, the service makes you feel like a VIP.
Those who have an international departure and are flying in economy class may particularly benefit from an airport escort, Mr. Hobica said, because theyre required to arrive at the airport three hours in advance and have to contend with longer security lines, compared with business and first class fliers who usually have separate security lines. He told me that an airport escort can save you tons of time.
As an example of a reputable company that provides airport escorts, Royal Airport Concierge is one such company. Based in 2006, it now operates in more than 550 airports worldwide and uses both local and national companies to guide its escorts. Founder Ron Gorfinkel said the type of service provided depends on the airport and country rules. For a departure from Italy, for example, a greeter is permitted to escort departing passengers onto the plane and help them stow their carry-on luggage while fliers arriving into Londons Heathrow Airport have the option to be met at their gate and taken to customs and immigration in a golf cart, where they are fast tracked through the lanes. According to the company's pricing, a four-passenger trip will cost an average of $300 to $450.
I was intrigued by the idea of having an escort at an airport, so I decided to test one from Blacklane, a Berlin-based company that launched its airport concierge service, Blacklane PASS, in August of last year.
The Basics:
With Blacklane PASS, Blacklane has expanded from being just a car service company to offering escort services at more than 500 airports. Either the airport itself or a concierge service at the airport employs these escorts. Royal Airport Concierge and Blacklane both offer services based on country and airport regulations. According to Chief Executive and Co-Founder Jens Wohltorf, escorts fliers through security, customs, and immigration, carries their luggage, and facilitates VAT refunds. Furthermore, they meet arriving passengers at the airport and assist them with passport control, transportation, and curbside pickup as well as customs and immigration.
The Cost:
Every additional guest is charged $100, with a first-time cost of $200. Children two and under are free. In contrast to most fliers, Wohltorf said gratuities are optional and not required.
My Experience:
Several weeks ago, my parents, my children and I flew from Paris Orly Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport using Blacklane PASS. I reserved the service online a week before our trip (first-time customers must reserve online but subsequent bookings can be made online or via phone) and received a text message from our escort, Reda (only permitted to use his first name), the night before our journey introducing himself and asking if I could text him when we were five minutes away from the airport so that he could greet us. Our driver gave us a drop-off location, and when we arrived at the terminal, he was already waiting and smiled as he welcomed us. Reda stacked our four carry-ons and four check-in bags on a luggage cart and guided us forward to the head of the check-in line for the airline we were flying, La Compagnie. It was not unmanageable, but I had a moment of glee when Reda flashed his pass to the airline employee, who promptly let us circumvent other passengers.
موقع خدمات Once we had checked in, it was time to request VAT refunds for our Paris shopping. Our situation got tangled up when the employee who handled our refund told us that the receipts were not sufficient to claim a refund - we also had to provide the actual goods. We had packed most of our groceries into our check-in bags unaware that this rule applied. Bringing the refund in excess of $1000 was negligent of us, and the money went squandered. Despite my father and I begging her to make an exception, she would not budge- no items, no refund.
Upon our arrival at the airport, Reda informed the woman that we were airport VIPs. Her persistence paid off and she processed our refund. Where would we be without his help?
In the past several years airports have become busier, which has increased the popularity of these services, according to airline and airport analyst George Hobica. He said they are ideal for travelers who get frustrated waiting in long lines, have trouble navigating through an airport or who have a tight connection at an airport. If you like to board a plane just when the doors are closing, a concierge is a great idea, he said. In addition, the service makes you feel like a VIP.
Those who have an international departure and are flying in economy class may particularly benefit from an airport escort, Mr. Hobica said, because theyre required to arrive at the airport three hours in advance and have to contend with longer security lines, compared with business and first class fliers who usually have separate security lines. He told me that an airport escort can save you tons of time.
As an example of a reputable company that provides airport escorts, Royal Airport Concierge is one such company. Based in 2006, it now operates in more than 550 airports worldwide and uses both local and national companies to guide its escorts. Founder Ron Gorfinkel said the type of service provided depends on the airport and country rules. For a departure from Italy, for example, a greeter is permitted to escort departing passengers onto the plane and help them stow their carry-on luggage while fliers arriving into Londons Heathrow Airport have the option to be met at their gate and taken to customs and immigration in a golf cart, where they are fast tracked through the lanes. According to the company's pricing, a four-passenger trip will cost an average of $300 to $450.
I was intrigued by the idea of having an escort at an airport, so I decided to test one from Blacklane, a Berlin-based company that launched its airport concierge service, Blacklane PASS, in August of last year.
The Basics:
With Blacklane PASS, Blacklane has expanded from being just a car service company to offering escort services at more than 500 airports. Either the airport itself or a concierge service at the airport employs these escorts. Royal Airport Concierge and Blacklane both offer services based on country and airport regulations. According to Chief Executive and Co-Founder Jens Wohltorf, escorts fliers through security, customs, and immigration, carries their luggage, and facilitates VAT refunds. Furthermore, they meet arriving passengers at the airport and assist them with passport control, transportation, and curbside pickup as well as customs and immigration.
The Cost:
Every additional guest is charged $100, with a first-time cost of $200. Children two and under are free. In contrast to most fliers, Wohltorf said gratuities are optional and not required.
My Experience:
Several weeks ago, my parents, my children and I flew from Paris Orly Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport using Blacklane PASS. I reserved the service online a week before our trip (first-time customers must reserve online but subsequent bookings can be made online or via phone) and received a text message from our escort, Reda (only permitted to use his first name), the night before our journey introducing himself and asking if I could text him when we were five minutes away from the airport so that he could greet us. Our driver gave us a drop-off location, and when we arrived at the terminal, he was already waiting and smiled as he welcomed us. Reda stacked our four carry-ons and four check-in bags on a luggage cart and guided us forward to the head of the check-in line for the airline we were flying, La Compagnie. It was not unmanageable, but I had a moment of glee when Reda flashed his pass to the airline employee, who promptly let us circumvent other passengers.
موقع خدمات Once we had checked in, it was time to request VAT refunds for our Paris shopping. Our situation got tangled up when the employee who handled our refund told us that the receipts were not sufficient to claim a refund - we also had to provide the actual goods. We had packed most of our groceries into our check-in bags unaware that this rule applied. Bringing the refund in excess of $1000 was negligent of us, and the money went squandered. Despite my father and I begging her to make an exception, she would not budge- no items, no refund.
Upon our arrival at the airport, Reda informed the woman that we were airport VIPs. Her persistence paid off and she processed our refund. Where would we be without his help?
Public Last updated: 2021-11-23 09:56:58 PM