Top execs won over by services at luxury terminal21 Feb 07
Over 100 firms, individuals have become members since Sept opening
CHANGI Airport's luxury VVIP terminal has attracted a steady stream of mainly top-level executives and businessmen since opening last September.
So far, more than 100 travellers and companies have signed up for membership in JetQuay, paying up to $1,000 a pop - excluding joining fees - for the ultimate luxury of being picked up straight from the plane in a limousine and whisked through a special immigration and Customs facility at the terminal.
More popular with users like businessman Bill Rosenthal, 46, is the $250 electric buggy ride from the aircraft gate to the two-storey terminal, which is next to Terminal 2.
It even has its own check-in counters.
For the fee, the jet-setting American, who owns an apartment in Singapore and travels frequently to Hong Kong, China and the United States, also gets to enjoy use of a five-star lounge, a gym, a business centre, nap rooms and shower facilities.
An in-house restaurant dishes up meals, while meeting rooms and spa services are available at extra cost.
Like many other users, Mr Rosenthal likes the privacy, as well as attentive and personalised service JetQuay offers.
He said: 'I travel frequently - up to 50 times a year - and I like to spend minimum time in transit. JetQuay allows me to arrive at the airport nearer to my flight time and to exit the airport quickly upon arrival back in Singapore, which makes part of the travel process far less stressful.'
It is also 'very nice to avoid baggage reclaim', said Mr Rosenthal, who uses the service four to six times a month.
There are three tiers of membership: individual, group and corporate.
On top of the one-time joining fee of $1,000, there is an annual membership charge of $1,000 for individuals, $2,000 for group membership and $4,000 for companies.
The opening of the 2,000 sq m facility - the first of its kind in Asia - is part of Singapore's strategy to offer a full spectrum of services to travellers, in order to stay ahead in the race to become the region's premier aviation hub.
The opening of the Budget Terminal last March, at the other end of the scale, was part of the same strategy.
Mr Raymond Howe, 43, general manager of JetQuay - a joint venture between air cargo handler Worldwide Flight Services, VIP club operator Superior Travellers Services and logistics company Sembawang Kimtrans - has big plans.
A hospitality veteran, the Singaporean worked for 22 years in resorts and hotels around the world before returning home recently. He was headhunted to run JetQuay about a month ago.
Mr Howe aims to double daily passenger traffic from the current average of between 30 and 50 now to about 100 in the next few months.
He is particularly excited about Singapore's two integrated resorts (IRs) in Marina Bay and Sentosa.
'The opening of the IRs will provide an important market for us to tap on. With just about two years before the 2009 opening, we need to lay the foundation now by increasing awareness.'
By Karamjit Kaur, Aviation Correspondent