VIP handling at LHR

[danielluft]

Just heard that Dnata are starting a Vip Handling service at Heathrow:ok:

Not sure how Signature Flight support will cope with the competition!:ugh:

[TOWTEAMBASE]

Interesting, seeing as they are closing an operation at LHR due downturn in business and tupe their staff to the company that took it !

[ksjc]

Any downturn at LHR likely due to traffic heading to Farnborough and TAG. Don't know why anyone would want to go anywhere else.

[Tray Surfer]

I suppose there will always be a need for some form of VIP handling at LHR, unless, and I apologise as I don't know, FAB and other smaller operations, can handle the VIP wide body aircraft from the gulf and the odd other one from elsewhere?

[Richard101]

I suspect most VIP Airliners would avoid Heathrow given their landing and parking charges and try to use Stansted etc instead. The only reason I can see why anybody would want to fly into Heathrow is if the passenger(s) are connecting to (or from) a commercial flight.

[danielluft]

Towteambase

Are you talking about Dnata or Signature tupe staff?

[air pig]

Farnbrough as one poster has said or Rizon at Biggin Hill or Northolt if you get in, far better than LHR

[pax britanica]

But if you are a Gulf royal with your London country home close by Ascot racecourse then LHR is the place to go through as you are home and hosed so to speak in about 25 minutes. FAB cannot take anything bigger than 737 according to local agreements except at 'show time'

[mutt]

I suspect most VIP Airliners would avoid Heathrow given their landing and parking charges and try to use Stansted etc instead. If you can afford a corporate airliner, do you really need to worry about landing charges?

Its all about landing close to home. Although the last 10 landing requests that i have seen were all rejected and aircraft ended up in Stansted.

Mutt

[Richard101]

Do you really need to worry about landing charges?


-Well yes I do, they maybe wealthy but they are not stupid. Its a cost benefit analysis to them, bearing in mind they have helicopters and schedule flexibility is important to them. I believe they would avoid Heathrow if parking costs are more than the Helicopter transfers and/or the alternative airports offers greater flexibility to their schedules. I remember a particular Falcon 900 that would fly from London to Manchester just for the passenger to get on his Airliner.

[G-ARZG]

Now I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing DNATA have done their homework on this ???

[jbflier]

I would Imagine DNATA have done their homework, they look like a big company at Heathrow.

Be interesting to see what they can offer over any competitors there?

I think there must be a need for a VIP operation at Heathrow for the Heads of state, VIP and very wealthy that travel.

Good luck to them.

[TOWTEAMBASE]

Dnata to Servisair

[Spitfire boy]

Where do VIP passengers clear customs at LHR now? If not at VIP terminal and a need to go somewhere central I can see this also deterring flights.

[PPE]

Although the last 10 landing requests that i have seen were all rejected

What is the reason for so many rejections. Is it limited parking space? Or no one to handle them?

[JetPark]

Though it has become increasingly difficult to access LHR due to slot restrictions (BAA controlled to protect resilience) when I am able to get in there I will stick with Signature thanks. I use them across the network and nobody comes close to their standards. The last they will be worrying about is competition, they have it at several of their locations in Europe. I have been in contact with senior management and they are working hard to look after the future of business avition under testing circumstances. I have been in this business a long time and always knew LHR would become tougher to get into. Good luck to anyone who would want to be in the FBO business there!

[Premier1989]

From past experience, arrival procedure is usually done at the Heathrow Royal Suite near T4 or the Windsor Suite in T5. Same with departures (e.g. screening of pax). Signature used to have a lounge but closed it down and went into bed with the BAA to collectively manage the GA side at LHR.

DNATA starting at LHR I don't think will offer any competition. If anything, I think it will close Signature down and I don't think they would put up a fight. Signature might as well concentrate on redeveloping their LTN operation - with a new FBO and Hangar due for completion by Q4/2014, plus the heavy slot restrictions, congested airport and restricted parking at LHR...it seems like a winner to me!

[mutt]

What is the reason for so many rejections. No SLOTS available, so it will be pretty hard for a corporate handling agent to make money if their customers cannot access the airport.

[Heathrowchap]

Slots Ive heard are returning slowly! Winter looks a lot better supposedly

Dnata are apparently officially up and running from the 1ST of November

Dnata processed their first flight I hear on monday and apparently went very well

Good luck to dnata I say im sure they will be very succesful :ok: :D

[PPE]

So Dnata carry out the handling of all VIP aircraft, is that correct.? Or do they work alongside Signature? Where does the windsor suite fit into all of this,if at all?sorry just wondered who does what and how it all works at LHR now

[G-ARZG]

Not sure this is the place to discuss specifics of VVIP handling ?
Just sayin'......

[Heathrowchap]

Appernently Dnata are (for the mean time) working alongside Signature

So will both operate through the royal suite

I think the Windsor suite still has an involvement as far as part of the whole process (Running the royal suite)

So as far as i can see there are now two Vip Ground handling agents at LHR to choose from!

[Heathrowchap]

All due respect we are not discussing individual customers but the actual process

[JetPark]

For PPE and Heathrowchap, situation is that the BAA have issued a second licence for VVIP handling. (There were, apparently, always 2 for the taking but only the 1 in use by Signature). So, Signature and Dnata now compete in what is a thin market but in the hope that business aviation slots open up. Unlikely me thinks, given the number of times I have tried to get in there! The Royal Suite is not managed by either of Signature or Dnata, it is BAA controlled and operated. It is merely the "terminal" through which business aviation operates and, in fact, one can also use the Windsor Suite or the main Terminal itself. As I said in a previous post, tough location to be in the FBO business in!

[jbflier]

I was talking to a colleague who works at Heathrow and mentioned DNATA VIP, she said that the majority if not all of the new DNATA VIP company staff are actually ex Signature employees that were cherry picked!!

If that is the case then surely they see a better future at the new company for some reason!!

She also mentioned about the second license being issued to DNATA VIP. I'm sure obtaining that licence wouldn't have been easy and shows DNATA VIP must be well prepared and meet the required high standard to operate.

All very interesting.

[Heathrowchap]

I suppose Dnata will use all the contacts thay have in the Middle East to secure all the widebody traffic coming into Heathrow!?!? Be hard for Signature to fight against that im guessing

[mutt]

Considering that DNATA is probably the handling agent for the airline side of these operators, it makes sense that all the handling goes their way, of course, it will still depend on getting slots.