These days, most airports offer airport lounge services, where you can escape the hubbub of the departure lounge and await your flight in comfort. Some airports now also offer a more exclusive, private jet-style service, allowing you to access an entirely private lounge and VIP-style amenities without the private-jet pricetag.
So, when we left London for Rome, we decided to book the Signature Elite Class VIP departure service at London Gatwick, provided through Signature Flight Support. This was the only flight we would be taking within Europe, and our private lounge made the whole travel experience much more enjoyable.
Flying commercial often means spending hours hanging around in a departure lounge or terminal, trying to keep kids entertained, and hoping your flight isn’t delayed.
Signature Elite’s exclusive airport lounges take away all the hassle of a commercial flight, leaving you free to relax in the unparalleled comfort of a private lounge, access private security screenings, and enjoy chauffeur service to your aircraft.
Read on to learn about our amazing experience of a VIP Departure Service at London Gatwick.
Signature Elite Class At London Gatwick Airport
Signature Elite Class private terminal transfers are available at London Gatwick, London Luton, St. Lucia, Antigua, Barbados, and Grenada.
The Signature Elite terminal at London Gatwick airport is housed in a 1960s building with beautiful wood paneling. It’s one of the oldest surviving buildings at the airport, but it has recently undergone some renovations and has fully modern facilities inside.
Unlike similar lounge services at other airports, the Signature Elite Class service provides completely private lounge access, so you don’t have to share your lounge space with any other passengers. You’ll skip all the long queues and hassles associated with commercial flights, and everything is handled for you.
The price of all this privacy and convenience is high, around £1500 for two adults and two children. There are also surcharges for last-minute bookings, so plan ahead. When we tried this in Munich last minute (with different providers), there was no availability and we missed out. Despite the high price, however, these VIP departure services ensure you’ll have a smooth and stress-free departure from London Gatwick.
Communication
We reached out several times to Signature Elite prior to our flight with various questions, and we received prompt, helpful responses both through email and phone. They were easy to communicate with and were happy to answer any questions about our logistics and dietary needs.
Arriving At London Gatwick Airport
Signature recommends traveling to London Gatwick by car service or taxi instead of using public transportation. If you’re flying back into London, you could also drive to the airport and leave your car in the car park there.
If you choose to travel to the airport by public transit, Signature staff will meet you at the Gatwick Express train station and escort you to the terminal, but you’ll have to bring your luggage along with you. It’s quite a long walk, so taking a car or taxi to the terminal is simpler.
We took an Uber from central London to London Gatwick, and followed Signature’s directions to their private terminal next to the main airport terminal.
A member of the Signature staff came out to help us with our bags and took us inside, where we were greeted by the reception staff and shown around our private traveller lounge.
Checking In
The Signature Elite terminal has three VIP rooms, which means you don’t have to share your lounge space with any other passengers.
The Signature staff will take your passport to check you in for your flight and prepare your boarding pass. Your suitcases will also be checked in for you. Any carry-on luggage stays with you, and is checked through security separately just before you board your flight.
Everything is done for you, so you can just sit back and relax in your lounge. You don’t need to wait in long lines to have your suitcases weighed at the check-in desk or queue to go through immigration. The whole process is handled by Signature’s highly professional team and it all happened in the background.
This VIP treatment certainly makes traveling with children a lot less stressful! Another benefit of booking a private VIP lounge is that you remain landside throughout your wait, and only go through security just before your flight. So, if your flight is delayed for several hours, you could choose to leave the terminal and return later without the hassle of going through security again.
The Lounge
Our Signature Elite lounge was light and airy with modern, monochrome decor, fresh flower arrangements, and large windows from floor to ceiling. It felt very secluded, with a tranquil atmosphere that would be very relaxing for any nervous fliers.
The lounge space was laid out with several separate seating areas. One of the seating areas was arranged around a small glass coffee table, and a desk is also provided so you can get on with some work while you wait for your flight.
We were able to hook up my husband’s iPad to the TV so we could watch our own TV shows or movies on the big screen. That helped keep our kids entertained during the wait, a significant improvement on a regular airport lounge. There was also a selection of newspapers and magazines to help pass the time.
Refreshments
While we were hanging out in the Signature Elite lounge, we were provided with a range of food and drink options. A full catering service was available, and some packs of chips and cookies were laid out next to a small refrigerator of bottled water, soft drinks, and fruit juice.
A selection of teas and coffees was available, including specialty coffees like cappuccinos and lattes. They even provide mini-bottles of champagne if you feel like indulging in a glass while you wait for your flight.
All of this was included in the price of the Signature Elite service.
Because we had an early start to our journey, Signature provided breakfast trays, including fresh fruit salad, yogurt, fruit juice, croissants, and jam. There was also a tower of fresh fruit and pastries.
Signature had checked with us in advance for any food allergies or special dietary requirements, which was great because my husband has a gluten allergy and one of my sons has a nut allergy. Instead of having to worry about which foods were suitable for them, two special trays were brought in for them, individually labeled as nut-free and gluten-free.
This attention to detail helped remove some of the stress around airport travel.
Private Bathrooms
Although the bathroom facilities are shared between the three lounges, they’re still much better than the facilities at the airport. During our visit, we were the only passengers there, so it was completely private.
This is the ladies’ bathroom, and apparently, the men’s bathroom is just as nice.
Boarding The Aircraft In Style
There are no departure boards in the lounges, so the Signature staff will tell you when your flight is due to depart. When our flight was called, we were taken through to a private security area still within the Signature building where our carry-on luggage was taken through the scanner.
Meanwhile, we walked through the metal detector and had our hands swabbed. We were warned ahead of time that all passengers go through “additional screening” with the hand swabs, and not to be alarmed. This premium security channel was all set up in the Signature Elite terminal, so there was no
need to go anywhere else for security checks.
Once we had passed through the efficient security procedures, we were taken to a transfer van parked outside the terminal. We were then driven to the plane, taken into the terminal, and led upstairs to the jet bridge to the plane.
It turned out that there was a line of passengers waiting to board the plane, and they had been held up so that we could board first. To be honest, that felt excessive and made us a bit uncomfortable. We really didn’t feel like we needed to board the plane before the other passengers!
I’ve heard that some Signature Elite passengers are asked if they’d like to board first or last, but we were never asked that question. It might have been nicer to board last so we could enjoy some extra time in the private lounge instead of leaving sooner and holding up the line.
It feels like a minor flaw in an otherwise great experience.
Anyhow, they whisked us right onto the plane and into our seats. It felt like the benefits of a private flight but without the private jet price.
Is a VIP Departure Service Worth It?
Of course, at the end of your time in the Signature Elite lounge, you just get on your regular commercial flight. So, although you’ve enjoyed all the benefits of a private lounge and private jet-style amenities, it’s not the same as flying on a private jet.
Because you’re traveling on commercial flights, you still have to arrive at the airport with enough time to have your baggage checked in. We got there 1.5-2 hours before our flight, whereas if we were taking a private jet, we could have arrived 10 minutes before our take-off time. So it’s not quite as convenient as a private jet.
However, there are some real benefits to booking a private airport lounge, and the time you spend at the airport is much more comfortable and relaxed. The surroundings are much nicer than the public departure lounge, you’ll have access to private bathrooms, and Signature can provide food tailored to your dietary requirements.
If you’re a nervous traveler who is anxious about being in big crowds at the airport, like my son, this is a great service. It could be a real game changer in terms of making your travel experience more comfortable.
Wrap Up – Save for Later
Booking a private lounge makes flying with a commercial airline much more expensive, but it also makes the airport experience much more enjoyable.
Our Signature Elite experience removed any worries about finding food that suited our dietary requirements, and let us relax with our kids instead of anxiously watching the departure board.
If a VIP departure service at London Gatwick fits into your travel budget, I highly recommend Signature Elite’s excellent service.
