Flying the Pampered Skies

By SCOTT MCCARTNEY

By Scott McCartney

The Wall Street Journal

Elite-level frequent fliers get lots of perks and attention from airlines. But it’s nothing like the “star” treatment.

Despite massive cost-cutting and shrinking service, airlines still roll out the red carpet for celebrities. Many carriers have “special service” staffers to speed stars and VIPs through airports and onto planes, or out back doors to limousines. Special rooms, some hidden behind unmarked doors adjacent to gates and some private lounges inside airport clubs, are reserved for politicians, movie stars, sports heroes and other dignitaries.

“We are left to our own devices in terms of creativity,” said Philip Williams, a British Airways special-services representative at Los Angeles International Airport – ground zero for airline star treatment. British Airways recently slipped a major movie star out of the airport “completely avoiding photographers by devious, but legal, means,” Williams said.

In general, if you have to ask for it, you probably don’t qualify for special-services treatment. But even if you haven’t won an Oscar, you can purchase a bit of special coddling for yourself for as little as $100.

In Los Angeles and at New York’s Kennedy International Airport, AMR Corp.’s American Airlines has special concierge handling called “Five Star” service in which an airline representative meets you, shuttles you quickly through check-in and security screening and on to a gate or airport club. The airline set up the service for movie studio VIPs and doesn’t advertise it, said Mark Mitchell, American’s managing director of customer experience. You won’t find mention of it on the airline’s Web site. But it is available to anyone in the know. (Psst. The phone number is (877) 578-2702. )

Two private firms, Airport Assistance Worldwide and LJR & Associates, offer similar services to the public as well as the rich and famous. Both are based in Los Angeles but serve other airports as well.

Amy Goldsmith, a public-relations executive, received a certificate for use of LJR’s service as a gift from a friend and used it for a trip with her husband, baby and nanny. The family was met at the curb by a man who bypassed baggage check-in lines, security lines and then, once inside security, watched their belongings while they slipped into Starbucks.

The service cost about $110, including tips.

“It made me uncomfortable when everyone was watching us move to the front of the line, because I’m not that person,” Goldsmith said. “But you get over it pretty quickly.”

Private services said they can’t guarantee clients will be able to bypass lines – that’s up to Transportation Security Administration officials and airline workers.

Airlines allow celebrities to order special meals – and some travel internationally with their own chef who is allowed to cook in airplane galleys. Stars get private phone numbers to airline officials for help with bookings. Carriers sometimes even send employees to stand in long lines at immigration and border security checkpoints if agencies won’t grant special status for traveling stars.

Yet the challenges of handling stars have grown for carriers, both from dealing with tighter security and from swarms of paparazzi staking out key star airports such as Los Angeles and London’s Heathrow Airport.

Everyone boarding a plane has to go through government screening, although many airports have set up special screening lanes for first- class customers that can be used to speed through VIPs.

At Los Angeles International, airlines say they used to be able to fax a list of a few people for whom they wanted to arrange expedited handling by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, such as slipping them through inspection lines reserved for airline crews. But, now, Customs will grant that only if the agency deems there would be a disruption in the line if VIPs stood waiting with everyone else.

Last July, even Victoria Beckham, aka pop singer Posh Spice and wife of soccer star David Beckham, was sent to the end of the immigration line as 200 photographers waited outside for her arrival.

Airport police say they try to keep paparazzi from disrupting passenger flow by aggressively enforcing traffic rules and towing paparazzi cars.

“We’re laboring under the same problems as the city of Los Angeles – what to do with these people,” said Sgt. James Holcomb of the airport police.

The Los Angeles International police force has a dignitary- protection squad that handles mostly heads of state, diplomats and politicians, and officers who can respond quickly when stars unexpectedly cause commotions in terminals.

A swarm of 60 photographers once greeted actress Jennifer Aniston after a flight from London, airport officials say, and trapped her as she tried to exit. Officers created a “bubble” of protection to move her.

“After that, we had three weeks fending phone calls from celebrities asking for security to get them through,” said Nancy Suey Castles, director of public relations at Los Angeles International. “The main issue for us is, Who is a celebrity?”

In other words, who is “big” enough to merit special treatment?

Holcomb noted that giving celebrities police protection at airports can sometimes worsen passenger flow – the entourage draws attention and propagates the frenzy.

Though many celebrities have long ago abandoned commercial airlines in favor of private-jet travel, they frequently turn back to airlines for international trips. And some have begun using commercial jets more frequently because of environmental concerns about private jets – it is tough to champion green causes and then get back on a jet with four people.

“They don’t like to be seen in a bad light, no matter what,” said British Airways’ Williams.

Airport and airline officials say gate agents or skycaps who check in celebrities often tip off photographers – and earn a percentage of the revenue a photo generates. Paparazzi have elaborate networks of photo-graphers around the globe, so a tip that a star is on a certain flight means photographers will be waiting at the destination.

“Their intelligence is incredible,” Holcomb said. He refers to it as “legalized stalking.”

Of course, many times the tips come from the celebrity’s publicist. While some stars ask airlines to help them avoid photographers, others covet the attention and ask airline special- service representatives for help with hair and makeup before facing swarms of cameras.

(c) 2008 Virginian – Pilot. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.