Airport VIP rooms and services

[Mr Quite Happy]

I thought I'd kick a thread off, if its been done before I couldn't find it.

Mrs QH is about to fly ZRH-AGP with three kids, a 4yo, 2yo and 6wo. Now that, I thought to myself, as the caring though absent husband and father sounds like a bit of a heavy load. I wonder what can be done to ease that process.

So I looked through the Zurich Airport website and found VIP Services (VIP-Service) and lo-and-behold…

For CHF 260 I can book for her and the kids the VIP service which promises (we haven’t done it yet so I cannot say delivers):

Collection at drop of point
Check-in
Baggage drop
Escort to VIP lounge
VIP Lounge (up to 3 hours) with drinks and snacks service
Escort to aircraft, with or without Limo depending on a/c berth

Which I think is a pretty good deal given our circumstances.

I enquired if AGP had a arrivals version and they don’t. So that’s the service and I thought I would mention it. 260 CHF for the Principle, 100 CHF per adult entourage member..

If anyone else is aware of similar VIP services I’d love to hear about them (nb. Not Hon Circle lounge at FRA/MUC unless they can be booked for a fee).

Thanks and regards,

Mr QH

[Gibon2]

I've no idea about VIP services, but in terms of "easing the load", Mrs QH should be made aware that the childrens' lounges at ZRH are the best in the known universe, and make the airport experience with children almost (almost) pleasant.

There are two lounges, one in A terminal, one in E terminal. Access is free. They are spotlessly clean, supervised by strict but kindly Germanic ladies, and feature several large rooms designed for different ages, kitted out with suitable toys and amusements - from play rugs and blocks, all the way up to Sony Playstations (Mrs QH can use these when nobody's looking). There are also kitchen and bathroom facilities, lots of change tables with individual sinks, supplies of nappies, wipes, etc etc, and a sleeping room with cots and beds of various sizes. You could happily entertain kids of any age for several hours - in fact Mrs Gibon and I are planning to take our next holiday in Zurich airport, rather than bothering to actually fly somewhere...

[SXB]

I've used airport VIP services on many occasions, normally in eastern Europe. It's a very, very good service. Lounge facilities are normally better than the business class lounges. For checkin you give your ticket and bag to a staff member and a few minutes later they come back with your boarding pass, there are also expediated immigration facilities, no waiting in line. You are then bussed, separately, to the aircraft (if it's located offstand) and are the last passenger to board. If you're using VIP arrival service you are met at the jetway and taken to the VIP building where there is, again, expediated immigration, you then sit in the lounge while someone gets your bag.
If you're travelling through a large airport where the formalities take time (like Moscow for example) it makes the whole experience much more tolerable, I'm not sure I'd bother for Zurich though, especially if I were travelling J class. I'm not normally paying for this service myself, when I travel to eastern Europe I'm normally going to see government officials and they arrange this service without me even asking, eastern European are big on things like that. If I were travelling and paying myself I would be tempted to use the service in certain airports just to avoid the formalities though I don't think it's worth it at Zurich.....

[heidelberg]

The SALA VIP lounge at Malaga I've used lots of times - using my Priority Pass.
However you can use it by pre booking for stg£15 per person including children over 3 years old.

This web site takes bookings:
Malaga Airport Lounges

[PAXboy]

There are many, many of these pay-per-visit lounges around the world. Some are part of a network called Priority Pass and that has been discussed in this forum on many occasions. I subscribe and find it highly beneficial.

You can usually find the p-p-v lounges via the web site of the airport you are using. Usually listed under 'services', they are named and the web sites listed. You can then make direct contact to check what facilities are available.

[10secondsurvey]

The Amex plat card includes free Priority pass access for the cardholder and supplementary cardholder. This lets you into any Priority pass lounge free of charge anywhere in the world.

There is a fee for the Amex plat card, but if you travel a lot it can be a good deal, as it includes proper comprehensive travel insurance for the cardholder, supplementary cardholders, and family/partners living together, plus some other perks.

In addition, if you buy a plane ticket with the card, it lets you into Continental and BMI lounges too.

Some other credit cards offer similar, but not so comprehensive.

As I travel a great deal, there have been occasions with lost connections, where lounge access has been an absolute joy, away from the usual terminal hell.

Alternatively, you can buy a priority pass on its own, or just travel business class.

I just wish airports weren't such hellish places, that it becomes almost essential to use a lounge to escape the mayhem.

[groundhand]

Be warned, most Executive Lounges, especially those accepting ppv, do not accept children. VIP services offer a different service and ususally use separate lounge facilities.

[newswatcher]

For those who also collect Worldpoints, usually at BAA facilities, if you "spend" 25 points you can get 10% discount at many airport lounges.

[heidelberg]

The Business VISA card operated in Ireland by AIB (Allied Irish Bank) includes Priority Pass and AA Home Start.
Great value.