Perhaps BA will start offering this service to a top sliver of GGL/CCR customers in future as an added benefit when flying F? A sort of outsourcing of a LH-style ground product for the select few.

Keep hope alive! :D

I recently had an email from Laufer (the chaps which run the service at TLV) offering me a similar (but not quite as exclusive) service at LHR.

I've emailed asking for more details and will post them here, but it costs (for a BA flight) USD $390 for up to four passengers and appears to be an escorted service with priority in certain queues.

So they say...

New thread
 

So can we have a "Celebs on HIT (Heathrow By Invitation) thread. High lovey index I am sure.

They should offer it as a complementary option atleast for those flying with full F paid tix or Prem (if we're talking T5). I wonder how many would chose that over CCR and chilling in terminal anyway? I suppose you could turn up 30min before your international flight, but if I was there any earlier I would almost certainly go for CCR. If you have say 4 execs flying on full-F tickets, the extra £1500 aint much, even though it is a bit ridiculous for what you get (especially if flight departs from A terminal!). And to be fair, if you are paying £40k+ for a group, you're starting to get in the relm of Private Jets which are far more private and efficient (not fuel of course!).

Went past the new fleet of BMW 7-Series outside the VIP entrance the other day. Looks like there are quite a few of them. They do look smart.

Personally while I really really like the car transfers (love LH/LX for that service) and the chilled out nature of the whole experience, I would get bored if it was just me there. I like seeing people wondering around going about their business. Just like I personally like space and quality in F cabins, I don't care about the "ultimate privacy" that some people seem obsessed by.

This might be useful to skip immagration queues when arriving.

I contacted them and they said that anyone using the suite could not use the BA lounge even if they were eligible, that's a shame!

Kind of expected that to be the case.

I don't really understand why you'd want to pay for this service and use the BA lounge... certainly wouldn't be a consideration for me.

You'd think she could afford a new jacket by now. The one in the photo, which was as much a giveaway as the hairdo, is the same one she's been wearing since, oh let me see... 1996!

Laufer (which runs the TLV 'VIP' service) has confirmed the details of its LHR service.

Here's what they told me in writing:

Price for BA is USD$390 (other airlines $360) for up to four passengers.

Outbound (LHR-x)
- Arrive at T5 as normal and met by the service guy
- Escorted through check-in
- Priority given in check-in queue
- Escorted through security line
- Priority given in security line

Inbound (x-LHR):

- Escorted to security / immigration line
- Priority given in security / immigration line
- Assistance with baggage collection
- Escort through customs

It isn't as posh as the mega-bucks service (no private lounge access; no private car from the tail of the aircraft), but it certainly has other decent features. Given the price quoted is for up to four people, it's pretty accessible.

You'd think BA would offer this service within the price of a F/F or F/A (but not F/Z) ticket...

Ah, but the devil is in the detail. It could well mean:

Outbound (LHR-x)
- Arrive at T5 as normal and met by the service guy Ok
- Escorted through check-in Nothing special
- Priority given in check-in queue An agreement with BA to use the CW desks or F desks regardless of class of travel. Potentially no better depending on your ticket and or status
- Escorted through security line Nothing special
- Priority given in security line Fast track which as we know can be useless. Again, you may already have access to this

Inbound (x-LHR):
- Escorted to security / immigration line Nothing special
- Priority given in security / immigration line Fast track. May already be eligible etc etc. Not much use if you are an EU Passport holder
- Assistance with baggage collection Ok
- Escort through customs Big whoop.

So it's only potentially of value to four passengers, travelling in WT or WT+, without status. It doesn't grant lounge access, which is potentially the biggest benefit to passengers who want 'star treatment' but don't hold a shiny card or a boarding pass at the pointy end.

Are those identified above really going to shell out $100 extra?

All reasonable questions.

TLV is very different in that there isn't fast track anything unless you use the Laufer service, and TLV can be a pretty long wait in various queues (even if you're travelling in F). Also, generally speaking, someone with Laufer assistance gets an easier time through TLV security.

To me the benefit of the LHR service depends on whether it gets you to the front of: (i) the security line (as it does in TLV), even fast track (which doesn't exist in TLV!); and (ii) the immigration queue (as it does in TLV), particularly the one for EU citizens (N/A in TLV). If all it does it wait in the queue with you, then I agree it's probably better off just getting a 'skycab' to help with check-in, queue by yourself and saving yourself $390 less £8 plus tip.