Lounges of this nature already exist in airports at Munich, Paris, London, Moscow, Dubai, Amsterdam, Geneva and Madrid, amongst other locations. These extra special, ultra classy VIP lounges come complete with private suites for celebrities and other elite clientele, enabling them to avoid rubbing shoulders with lesser VIPs – and to better ensure their personal security. Given Los Angeles’ prominence in the celebrity scene, it’s not surprising LA International airport is jumping on the ‘super-VIP’ bandwagon.
On January 7, Los Angeles Airport Commission approved a 10-year lease with personal security firm Gavin de Becker Associates, which plans to build a “remote lounge” for the extremely rich and seriously famous – actors, musicians, athletes, government figures. It will enable separate check-in and supply transport to scheduled commercial aircraft at the ariport, at a superior level of service.
The new lounge will be situated in an old cargo hangar near the airport’s southernmost runway, far away from the crowds at the main terminal. The building will require a few million dollars’ worth of renovations before it’s ready for action, but it is unlikely this will faze the developers, given the one-off entry fee of some US$1,500 to US$1,800. A mere drop in the ocean for the likes of its users…
