How to get VIP treatment at the airport - without flying business class

The meet-and-greet business monetises the arrivals process for a niche market. The most frequent users are C-suite business travellers for whom time is money, but there are many more for whom it makes sense.

For travellers with families, a parent travelling alone with small children or for those who need special assistance, a meet-and-greet service for both pre- and post-flight can be a lifesaver. Also for elderly travellers who might have difficulty negotiating the arrival procedures at their destination and for any child travelling alone, although in either case the airline might shunt them through the terminal and out to the waiting arms of loved ones.

For a couple or families travelling together, the charge is often the same as for a single traveller. It's the baggage that usually determines the price, since a single greeter can only handle a limited number of bags on one luggage trolley.

Where they work best

For fit and able travellers arriving at a European, North American or Asian hub airport with biometric passport processing and tolerably swift baggage handling, there's not too much to be gained with a meet-and-greet service. At many third-world airports however, time is an elastic concept, and for the leisure travellers who are their most frequent visitors, anything that gets you out the doors quicker is tempting, and often cost effective.

Bali's Denpasar is known for its creaking arrivals procedures and glacial pace of its baggage handling, and there are several agencies that will speed you through the airport and out to your waiting vehicle. Bali Fast Track charges $US49.96 ($75) for processing on arrival and transfer to Legian, Seminyak or Sanur. Transfers are also available to other parts of the island.

"It was brilliant," according to Isabelle Hayden who used a meet-and-greet service for her and her partner at Denpasar Airport after a 9.25pm arrival aboard a Virgin Australia flight from Sydney.

"We were met off the plane, got express visa and customs clearance and didn't touch our luggage, it was all done for us. Quick and easy."

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport is another where immigration queues can delay your arrival by an hour and Encalm charges INR6500 ($117) for its Elite Arrival International service, which promises fast immigration processing and baggage collection. At the same airport the price booked through Airport Select starts from $US149 ($221), but that applies to several passengers provided there are no more than three checked bags.

The service providers

Airssist is a booking agency that represents local meet-and-greet service providers at almost 600 airports around the globe, promising a seamless end-to-end airport experience. As well as all the world's major airports, Airssit offers services at such far-flung airports as Cuba's Cayo Largo, on the island of the same name, and Canada's Kaybob South, site of a gas processing plant in Alberta. Airport Select is another booking agency, although with far fewer airports on its books.

Homecoming kings and queens

International airports at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have a meet-and-greet service available through Airport Select. For an incoming or departing passenger with up to three bags the fee is $US354 ($525), while Airport Services charges $US400 ($593) for up to three passengers. At that price I'll be schlepping my own bags for some time to come.

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