Services used by stars and state guests are available to everyone in the new VIP Terminal at Vienna International Airport.
The discreet gate to the cour d’honneur of the new VIP terminal at Vienna International Airport slides silently aside, and guests park inside – or get out of their limousines. Service staff take care of the car, the baggage and check-in while the guests make themselves comfortable in one of the stylish VIP lounges. Sofas and a selection of exquisite alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks invite you to relax, coffee is served, as is a selection of à la carte dishes. Shortly before departure, you pass through the security gate and passport control directly at the separate VIP terminal – waiting times are a thing of the past. And then the VIP service becomes fully true: A limousine takes you directly onto the tarmac to the aircraft, so it really is only 80 steps from entering the VIP terminal to the plane. Whether charter or scheduled flight – for Managing Director General Aviation and VIP Services, Michael Zach, all his guests are Very Important Persons.
![](http://weltmeister.cc/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/VIP_7_202013019E-1024x683.png)
© Flughafen Wien AG
What is the idea behind the VIP service for everyone at Vienna
Airport?
Michael Zach: It goes back a bit to when I took a look at our VIP
services in 2016. It was fascinating to see what services we provide
that hardly anyone knows about. Travelling can be stressful, and
that also applies to air travel. Especially in the summer, during peak
season, there are a lot of people travelling. You need to queue, there
is a check-in, there is a security check, and you have to walk quite
a distance. But we at the VIP terminal can offer our services to
everyone, and so the way to the plane becomes really short and
easy. That is much more relaxing and exclusive. And that was the
idea behind it. We have an excellent product and a service that we
don’t want to keep from people. Anyone can be a VIP with us.
Has the VIP service for everyone developed from the service for
the ‘real’ VIPs?
Zach: With the opening of Terminal 3, the old VIP area became
obsolete and was moved to a new building near General Aviation.
Of course, we also have celebrities travelling through or state visits.
But anyone can enjoy our service and book it.
But the ‘real’ VIPs get the service free of charge?
Zach: No (laughs). Everyone pays for the VIP service, including rock
stars and state guests. Everyone who lands at the airport pays a
passenger fee, and that’s the same for VIPs.
![](http://weltmeister.cc/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/herbst-6760-1024x683.png)
© Flughafen Wien AG
What happens in the VIP Terminal?
Zach: We offer our services both on departure and on arrival. With
the Platinum Package, we also organise transport from Vienna to
the airport and then, of course, directly to the aircraft. From carrying
the luggage to boarding, everything is arranged. Those arriving at
the airport in their own car drive to our cour d’honneur, hand over
the key and the valet service takes care of parking. There are three packages: Silver, Gold and Platinum, which are priced differently
depending on the scope of services. The Platinum package includes
either the transfer from home or the valet service and a parking
period of seven days at the directly adjacent VIP car park.
What happens in the VIP Terminal?
Zach: Our guests are looked after all around. After arrival, we take
the baggage and take care of its check-in. Passengers are shown
to their own VIP room and spend the time until boarding doing
whatever they want. We have a total of seven private VIP lounges,
which of course have a TV, a selection of à la carte meals that are
freshly prepared, soft drinks and exclusive alcoholic beverages.
Everyone should enjoy the waiting time too. We have also various
play facilities for children, who can come along for free up to the
age of six. If necessary, guests can also enjoy a shower, because
some have business appointments directly after a long-haul flight
and want to freshen up beforehand. Or guests come directly from
conferences and want to take a shower before their flight. The
highlight, however, is certainly that you are taken directly from the
terminal to the aircraft in a limousine. Guests can choose whether
they want to be the first passengers to board or the last. This is
very popular.
![](http://weltmeister.cc/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/VIP_SIKO_POV6827_hoch_hi_RGB-769x1024.png)
© Flughafen Wien AG
How long before departure do VIP guests have to arrive?
Zach: It depends because different airlines have different requirements.
With us, however, there are no waiting times, neither at
check-in nor at the security and passport gates. In addition, the
distances are extremely short. The general requirement when to
be at the airport results from waiting and queuing
times as well as the walking distances that
have to be covered. The waiting time at peak
travel times is two to three hours. If it is a longhaul
flight to the US with document checks,
however, you have to be here two hours before
departure even with our VIP service. For a shorthaul
flight within Europe and without luggage,
half an hour can be sufficient; then, of course,
the guest cannot enjoy our services extensively.
There are many people who do not spend much
time at the airport and want to get on the plane
and take off as quickly as possible. This mostly concerns the business
sector. For private travellers, the holiday begins with an enjoyable
hour or hour and a half in one of our private VIP lounges.
What is the maximum amount of time a passenger can spend
with you before departure?
Zach: Two hours in one of the private rooms are included in the
most popular package, the VIP Service Gold. In the event of flight delays, we naturally do not throw our guests out after two hours
– on the contrary, because with us you wait in a pleasant ambience.
It doesn’t make any difference if you wait half an hour or three
quarters of an hour longer. After that there is a small surcharge per
hour.
![](http://weltmeister.cc/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/VIP_Salon_herbst-3-6599_quer_hi_RGB-1024x683.png)
© Flughafen Wien AG
You have your own baggage check-in, security
and passport gates in the VIP terminal.
Zach: There are airline regulations regarding the
weight of the baggage, which we also have to
comply with. All legal and security requirements,
including customs regulations on arrival,
are handled in exactly the same way. There is a
security check, a customs check and a border
check, all staffed 24/7. It’s exactly the same as
in the public terminals. With us, however, there
are no waiting times. We also offer a duty-free
shopping service, but this is very rarely used.
How many people use the VIP service?
Zach: We don’t count passengers per day, but we have about 15,000
guests per year. The lion’s share is made up of private customers
who book with us and use our services. They make up more than
50 percent. This is followed by companies and the official VIP services
booked by embassies.
![](http://weltmeister.cc/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/VIP_Vorfeld_quer_CMYK_hi-1024x881.png)
© Flughafen Wien AG
Family members or colleagues can also accompany your guests
until they board the aircraft?
Zach: That is possible, although accompanying persons also have
to go through the security check. This service is very often used by
embassies, by delegations and also in the corporate sector.
As a VIP guest, you are fed, you can hold meetings and take a
shower. The only thing you can’t do in the VIP terminal is sleep.
Zach: If you sleep at the airport, something has usually gone wrong.
We generally try to avoid that at Vienna Airport. However, if it
should happen, we are of course ready to organise a hotel room at
the airport. You won’t be left in the lurch, so as a VIP customer you
can really relax completely because you know that you will always
receive the best possible support in every challenging travel situation.
For this reason, travelling via the VIP terminal is not only
luxurious, but also particularly easy on the nerves.