What is the worst part of international travel? Most people will tell you that it is the flight. And yes, Economy Class flights can be uncomfortable and exhausting, especially on long-haul sectors. Also read | The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: Anantara’s ambitious expansion aims to bring Asian hospitality to India with 50 new hotels
For many people, the solution is to upgrade to Business Class. It’s more expensive, but on many airlines, it is far more comfortable than Economy. Even something that approaches Business Class can make a huge difference. I recently flew Indigo Stretch to Bangkok, and though you don’t get lounge privileges at airports or a great choice of liquor onboard, I thought it was good value, but that may be because I don’t usually eat airline food, try or drink too much on planes. So, the disadvantages of Stretch did not matter to me.
My problem is that the older I get, the more tiring I find international travel. I have thought about it and figured out that class of travel is only part of the problem. Basically, it is airports that I hate: The lines at immigration, the tedium of waiting for your luggage, the arrogant and intrusive stupidity of air Intelligence officers at customs in India, the long walks to gates etc.
There is no way around much of this: If you are stopped by a rude and imperious officer at, say, Mumbai Customs, you have to keep your patience. Likewise with immigration officers at western airports.
The ultimate layover hack
But I have discovered that there are hacks. Most regular international flyers usually use an airport service. These services can be costly, but they take much of the pain out of the airport experience. Also read | The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: How travel has changed over the last five decades
In India, large international airports will offer their own welcome and departure services. A guy with a buggy will meet you at the gate as you step out of the aircraft, you will be driven in the buggy to immigration and a porter will help you collect your luggage and accompany you to your car. Each year, I find more and more international travellers using these services, though legend has it that at Delhi and Mumbai, customs officers will treat this as an affront to their power and will stop anyone accompanied by a porter.
Best (and worst) airport welcome services worldwide
I have to say that I have become a convert to airport welcome services. My best experiences have been in Bangkok and Paris. In Bangkok, the service is not unreasonably expensive (around 85 US dollars) and works brilliantly. You are met at the gate by a person in a buggy who takes you directly to Immigration (you get Fast Track immigration even if you are in economy, which can be a relief in the tourist season when the queues snake around the arrival area) and then helps with your luggage and takes you to your car.
The place where an airport service really helps, though, is Paris. The airport service escort does not have the authority to jump the immigration queue (there is no Fast Track counter) but Paris is a complicated airport with many immigration areas, and the escorts always find one where there are no queues. I have got so hooked on the service that I even use it on departure. Partly, it is because so many of the escorts are Indian and very friendly. In a foreign country it is often very reassuring to see another Indian waiting for you when you exit the aircraft or when your taxi drives up to the departure terminal. It has completely transformed the Paris airport experience for me.
Most Indian visitors to Dubai are familiar with the Marhaba, a service which comes in several categories. For years I would use the category that comes with a buggy. But Dubai is the one airport where I have stopped using an arrival service. Partly it’s because the airport is so good and porters are easy to get that you don’t need to spend so much money to get through it. And partly it is because the arrival experience is conducted on so many different floors that the buggy will usually take you only one third of the way. Moreover, Marhaba staff will not help with bags and have no significant role in the arrival process. It’s like being met at the airport by a distant acquaintance who walks silently with you till you leave the airport, without offering any assistance at all. And then charges you for this dubious privilege. Also read | The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: A list of the best hotels I have stayed in this year
The single best arrival service I have used is in Male. When you exit the plane (in Male it’s always a staircase not an aero bridge) your escort is waiting on the tarmac with a limousine. The limo takes you to a lounge, and they urge you to relax and have a coffee while they take your passport and handle immigration for you. Then they go and collect your luggage and take it through customs. At no stage do you get the usual airport experience with its queues and delays.
None of this is cheap. It costs over 300 dollars, but it’s not much more expensive than arrival services at European airports.
If you are of a certain age (as I am) and can afford to travel business class, then it might be worth splashing out on an airport service, especially on arrival. Some airports have only one service but at others you can pick and choose. For instance, though I use the Bangkok service that most hotels will book for you (Thailand Longstay), my son directly books the airport’s own arrival service (AOT).
It’s always best, when you are in the West, to rely on one service at most airports. My Paris experience is always handled by Skyprio an American service with headquarters in Dallas. They use local employees everywhere (or many Indians in much of Europe) and cover such airports as London, Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome, Zurich, Frankfurt etc.
Are these services worth the money?
I used to think that all arrival services were the same till I allowed my hotel in Amsterdam to book me a service. It was terrible and overpriced. Next time I will go back to Skyprio.
Once again: The big question: are these services worth the money? Well, no, not if you rarely travel and have saved up for a cheap ticket. Keep the money and use it for shopping instead.
But you are a frequent traveller, are no longer very young and buy (or your company buys you) premium class tickets then yes, they are more than worth it. There is no point buying a business class ticket and then spending two hours getting out of the airport.
