For millions of travelers every year who fly coach it's hard to walk past the spacious first class seats and through the little curtain to the cramped rows in the rear, but what do those first class passengers look up to? Those traveling better than first class, of course.
Many airlines offer "extra special" treatment to celebrities and other big names, and although the services vary from airline to airline some things are consistent across the board: little to no waiting in airport lines, extreme efforts to protect privacy, and extra security. Plus, of course, VIP lounges and premium food/drink. Not a celebrity? You can buy the services yourself and feel like one for only about $100.
Most of the airlines who offer special upgrades don't advertise their services, and many don't even post them on websites and flyers. Airport Assistance Worldwide, though, is one that isn't so secretive. On their website you can check out services and even make a reservation. Happy travels!
We've seen a couple of relaxation pod designs before but Nemorelax is a new company that is focusing on the airport business. The Nemorelaxers are modules that have recliner chairs, sound-isolating materials and a cocoon for privacy. The Nemorelaxer also has a touchscreen monitor for watching movies and a fold-away worktable with internet connection. The company plans to have Nemorelaxer suites in airports around the world and plans to sell time in the pods in 30 minute blocks. The suites will be staffed by personnel that will greet customers, watch your luggage and provide personal wake-up services.
If you've traveled over the past year you have probably seen someone having to surrender a bottle of shampoo or some other liquid due to the rules about carrying liquids on planes. But pity poor Neil Grant, southern region general manager with Foster's Australia, who recently had to surrender bottles of a 1980 and an '82 Penfold's Grange, treasures worth a couple of thousand dollars. Grant was going to conferences in Scotland and Ireland and pulled the precious vintages from his personal cellar. At the final security check he ran into a woman who informed him the bottles would be destroyed because he could not take them on board. He argued that people from Emirates airlines were willing to find his checked baggage and put the wine in there but she refused. He also offered to open them and share them with everyone around. Finally, rather than just throw them whole into the trash, he smashed them. The best part of the article for me is that Grant was man enough to admit he was close to tears. To quote an old song, you would cry too, if it happened to you.
Many airlines have first class lounges but Virgin Atlantic has raised the bar at London's Heathrow airport with an entire Upper Class wing. The wing includes a dedicated security channel just for Virgin Atlantic customers helping to deliver what Virgin Atlantic promises will be the fastest check-in around. Their new ad campaign promises "limo to lounge" in just 10 minutes. The wing, designed by architects Foster + Partners has a hotel-like lobby to help deliver a more relaxed experience. The wing opens November 2.
Those who travel frequently often find themselves in between destinations, killing time in an airport. Whether it is a flight delay or a long layover, that downtime can be anything but pleasant. Huge crowds, long lines, and the general chaos that reigns in an airport is not conducive to working or relaxing. That's where the business-class lounges come in. A respite from the madness, these havens range from the very basic to the very luxurious - and knowing which is where can come in handy when planning your itinerary.
Each year, Skytrax ranks the 10 best business-class lounges in the world based on data that includes customer surveys and business research group interviews. The results are in and in the number one spot is Virgin Atlantic's Clubhouse at Heathrow Airport. In addition to a complete office, library, and video projection system, those looking for first class relaxation will find everything they desire. Take a cat nap on a daybed in a hideaway mezzanine, enjoy a meal in one of several dining options or have a drink at the bar. Or use the time to visit the Cowshed Spa, where you can get a facial, massage or even a tan. If all that pampering musses your hair, you can stop by the Bumble and Bumble Hair Salon.
A few North American carriers are beginning to upgrade their lounge offerings, but for now you won't find any of them of Skytrax's top ten list.
The tradition of getting a drink at the airport is long established but the rise of upscale winebars at airports is a relatively new phenomenon. The Wine Enthusiast rounds up a couple of the wine bar options at airports around the U.S. Leading the pack is the winningly named Vino Volo (from Italian for wine flight). Vino Volo has a chain of wine shops located beyond the security point so that flyers can purchase bottles to take on the plane. The company has wine bars in JFK airport in New York, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Sacramento International Airport, and Washington, DC's Dulles International Airport and plans as many as 50 stores over the next five years.
Vino Volo serves wines by the glass or in tasting flights and poured are also available for purchase by the bottle to take with them or have shipped to their home (depending on sate law). Vino Volo also offers a wine club. The wine bars also serve light food which can also be packed up for flight.
I'm not someone who does a lot of travel for work, but for those who do the costs of flying back and forth can really add up, both in money and in time. To appeal to part of that large market of people, MyJets is now offering a program called FSO, or Fractional Seat Ownership.
For a one time fee of only $40,000 per seat (ouch) and then a cost of $150 per hour of flight time (plus a small monthly fee), you too can have the convenience of a private jet -- only without the private part. Albeit you will save time not driving to and from a big commercial airport and not waiting through long security lines and all that, but the price still seems a bit steep, doesn't it? I guess for some in very specific situations it might be economical and/or convenient, but I'd be really curious just what the conditions are like on board the plane. The photos don't look all that convincing...or maybe it's just me?
If your holiday travels bring you through the San Francisco International Airport you have one last luxury shopping opportunity. A new Gucci store, the first one in a U.S. airport, has opened at the International Terminal at SFO. According to an article on Inside the Bay Area, this airport was chosen as a Gucci location because of its sleek design. The international terminal at SFO is not a bad place to be waylaid if snow in other areas delays your flight, there is also a salon, spa and plenty of decent dining options and your Gucci purchases will be duty free.
In other Gucci news, it was also recently announced that Gucci in New York will move their flagship store to Trump Tower and take over a four-floor, 46,000-square-foot site that once belonged to Brit jeweler Asprey. The new location will be the world's largest Gucci store when it opens in 2008.
In today's Wall Street Journal, there is an interesting blurb on prices around the world, comparing the rate for the same service in different locations. In this case, the service is a one-way private transfer from an airport to a luxury hotel, as booked through that hotel or their concierge. All the prices have been converted to US dollars and the difference in various markets is quite surprising, especially since the distance being considered was that of a very central location. As a starting point, the cost in New York was $167 per person. In Manila, the transfer was a mere $42, while it was $74 in Sydney and $100 in Hong Kong. The three locations more expensive than New York were London, at $171, Paris at $170 and Tokyo, at an almost shocking $382. It's enough to make you think twice about arranging your own transportation. After all, it certainly couldn't be much more expensive and by calling around, you might even be able to arrange nicer transportation.
Once reserved only for first class and frequent fliers, there are now private airport lounges in England where anyone can reserve space, ensuring that their time in the airport is much more pleasant than an ordinary wait in the main terminal. The lounges typically offer comfortable seating, TV, snacks and drinks, and the amenities at some can include digital music listening stations, sports lounges and bars. At Simply Lounges and Holiday Extras, travelers can book space at any one of sixteen different airports and Holideck, at Heathrow, is a lounge that has lots of family-friendly features. Travelers typically pay for a set number of hours, so it's best to book if you have a layover of more than only an hour or two.
Lindsay Lohan was leaving Heathrow Airport on Thursday when she noticed that her orange Hermes Birkin bag was missing. The bag itself might have gotten only a moment or two of mourning from the young celebrity, but the theft is now under investigation by Scotland Yard because that bag contained about $1 million worth of jewelry. Lindsay left it on her luggage trolley and must have turned away just long enough for someone to snag it. She is asking for the return her things, but given the value of the items taken, it seems unlikely that the thief will comply.
Update: Looks like someone actually found the bag and turned it in!
Bahrain Airport's Dilmun lounge recently received an award for being one of the best Priority Pass airport lounges in the world. What sets this lounge apart? Fine antiques, engraved glass walls and a one entire wall covered in gold leaf are part of what make this lounge so sumptuous. Tony Hutton Associates was responsible for the design right down to the staff uniforms. The lounge cost $3.3 million to create. More pictures of this elegant space after the jump.
One of the worst things about traveling is checking your luggage. It is a drag to wait in line to drop off the bags and standing at the baggage claim after the flight, when all you want to do is get in your car and go, is even worse. The main problem is that it can be difficult to identify your bag on the carousel - especially if they're black. Diane Furstenberg's Color on the Go Luggage set completely solves that problem. The bags are made of durable polyester twill and come in either vibrant Turquoise or Fuschia, all with white, lizard-embossed faux leather trim. There are four bag styles to choose from and the rolling bags have in-line wheels and telescoping handles. It's all on special right now at Neiman Marcus, so there's really no excuse to be stuck with boring black bags.
The Changi Airport in Singapore is scheduled to open the world's first luxury airport terminal in August. The terminal is the equivalent of a first class cabin on the ground. Fliers can pay an additional fee to gain access to the terminal, where they will be treated to the ultimate travel experience, with people to take care of luggage and procure their boarding passes for them, as well as quickly get travelers through security procedures, sans lines. The CIPs (Commercially Important Persons) will be able to lounge in the terminal's comfortable facilities, spared from having to interact with the ordinary travelers, and when it comes time to board their flight, they can even pay to have a limo drive them onto the tarmac and directly up to the plane. Prices have not yet been fixed for the use of the terminal, which cost $10 million to build. It expects to start off with approximately 50 travelers per day.
I've
bandied about the term "Ferrari for the skies" before but this is
the real deal. Italian company, Piaggio Aero is owned
by the Ferrari family and the the Maranello racing team has
been flying the Avanti since 2000. The Avanti is also the
preferred choice of President Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, general
manager Jean Todt and world champion Formula One driver Michael
Shumacher.
The P180 Avanti II is the world's fastest turboprop business
aircraft. It has a midsize cabin that can hold nine people
and is over 6 feet wide and 5 feet 9 inches tall. The plane also
uses fuel efficiencies that are nearly 40% less than most business
jets and 25% less than the most efficient twin turboprops. The
plane
sells for around $6.195 million. Check out the interior after
the jump.
Those who travel frequently often find themselves in between destinations, killing time in an airport. Whether it is a flight delay or a long layover, that downtime can be anything but pleasant. Huge crowds, long lines, and the general chaos that reigns in an airport is not conducive to working or relaxing. That's where the business-class lounges come in. A respite from the madness, these havens range from the very basic to the very luxurious - and knowing which is where can come in handy when planning your itinerary.
In today's 
The Changi Airport in Singapore is scheduled to open the world's first 
