From dim and distant days on 32 in the seventies, there was a 'protocol' document that defined who is and who is not a VIP. I can't remember the document number but it is, or was a Cabinet Office document. At the time Northolt had a Group Captain whose sole function it seemed, was to wear his best uniform with gold dress cords and stand at attention saluting the knobs. Meanwhile Wingco Ops got on with running the station.
A VIP was in descending order:
British Royalty - HM, DoE, PoW, other children of HM (+GoH on official visits)
Visiting Head of State (+GoH)
Prime Minister,
Cabinet Ministers
Foreign Ambassadors on official duty
Military Officers of the rank of General or equivalent - i.e. Admiral, Air Chief Marshal
Below that, folks were merely important and didn't justify special treatment. (Tell that to the AOC! Rather you than me...) According to a rank based scale they'd be met by a Wing Commander with a car or picked up in a mini-bus. No doubt the rules will have changed over the years, but I'd bet that Northolt Operations Wing have a copy of the latest Gen.
Northolt - the only place I've ever bumped into an AVM in the NAAFI wagon queue.
