London Heathrow Airport has opened its newly renovated private VIP terminal. Previously known as The Windsor Suite, it has undergone an eight-month £3 million ($3.7 million) refurbishment.
Now called The Windsor by Heathrow, the new terminal is for VIP guests who fly in first or business class. When it was known as The Windsor Suite, Emirates and Etihad Airways were among the airlines that had the most passengers who used the service, while Dubai, Riyadh and Doha were in the top five most common destinations guests travelled to.
The facility is only available to those in first and business class, with no restrictions as to which airline passengers are travelling with. The rebranded facility is located at Terminal 5, and since it has a separate entrance, passengers can skip the main part of the terminal entirely. It is available for departures, connections and arrivals.
Prices starts at £3,812 ($4,750) for up to three guests and comes with several VIP services.
The experience begins with a private luxury chauffeur-driven car that picks up guests from their home or hotel and takes them directly to the terminal. For an additional cost, the chauffeur can go to any address in the UK. Once at the terminal, guests have access to one of eight private suites.
Dining is another highlight, with a menu created by British chef Jason Atherton, who helms two-Michelin star Dubai restaurant Row on 45. The menu includes dishes such as English butter shortbread with praline cream, Earl Grey tea ice cream, custard sauce and charred mandarin. However, this menu is only available between 5.30am to 10pm; outside these hours, only drinks are served.
The service handles immigration and customs, allowing guests to bypass the process unless additional checks or information are required.
When it’s time to board, guests are transferred directly to the aircraft while baggage teams take care of their luggage. Additionally, those who book the service can invite up to two non-travelling friends to join them in the lounge up to 15 minutes before departure.
The facility also serves as a private art gallery, featuring museum-quality pieces from around the world that guests can purchase instantly via QR code. There's also a private shopping service, with the option to visit select stores in Terminal 5.
