They are like the guardian angels of the airport.
Airports around the world offer a special service that most travelers overlook: airport greeters, whose job it is to help ease travelers’ travel frustrations.
“There are airport greeters, airport ambassadors, airport express, airport meet and greets… it depends where [are] traveling the world,” Ron Gorfinkel, a partner at Royal Airport Concierge, a worldwide airport greeting company, told HuffPost.
Although the title may vary depending on your location, they serve the same purpose: to help travelers navigate the airport as easily and quickly as possible.
“The traveler will find the most efficient route through the airport,” Gorfinkel added of the service. They can help speed up your waiting time in a long line for customs and immigration, resolve technical issues with the machines, including passport scanning and baggage assistance.
Jason Squatriglia, a luxury travel concierge, revealed to HuffPost additional services that greeters can navigate, such as notifying customers of their flight status, gate changes, connecting flights and arranging golf cart pickup if you are in a difficult time to grasp your future. flight or have mobility problems.
However, one of the most beneficial parts of the service is the time you can save when going through customs and immigration. Depending on the destination, a greeter will meet the customer as soon as they land and fast track them through each line.
“They get in and out of the airport a lot faster and through immigration a lot faster,” Ashley Ganz, founder and CEO of Artisans of Leisure, told HuffPost. “It’s just extra peace of mind that someone will be waiting for them as soon as they get off the plane and just help them out.
According to Squatriglia, around 80% of European airports allow express customs service through the airport greeter.
“It’s just a nice way to enhance the experience for anyone who wants to be treated like a VIP … even if it’s not to save time, it’s just a stress reliever to have someone just guide you,” added Squatriglia .
Despite the many benefits, the acceleration process varies depending on the destination of arrival. For example, Europe’s customs standards are very different from those of the US, so fast tracking doesn’t look the same everywhere.
However, what seems to be the same in many airports are the greeters who provide baggage services. Depending on the airport, greeters may meet you with a golf cart to collect you and your luggage, or they may hold it.
“I find that a lot of people who are older or, for whatever reason, aren’t as comfortable handling their luggage, they’re willing to book this just for the peace of mind,” Ganz said. “They don’t want to stress about having to lift very heavy suitcases, and they think it’s worth every penny to just have someone else take care of it.”
While these services seem like the solution to many travel stresses, they come with a price tag ranging between $350 and $550 for a group of four, according to Royal Airport Concierge. The cost may increase if additional services are added.
Think of the expense as a convenience fee to ease any irritation that travel day may bring.
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Image Source : nypost.com