An airport will temporarily stop new members from joining a $618 VIP service that let people skip lines, due to a surge in popularity
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has stopped taking new registrations for its VIP service.
- The airport said on its website that the temporary closure is due to the large volume of requests.
One of Europe's largest airports has temporarily closed its VIP Service to new members after being inundated with requests to use it.
The service allowed passengers to skip the lines at airports, among other perks.
"These are busy times in the Schiphol VIP centre," Amsterdam Schiphol Airport — one of the world's busiest airports — posted a statement on its webpage, notifying customers that it could no longer accept reservations from new customers.
"Due to the large volume of requests, we can only accommodate VIP service for our regular guests," the post said. The airport has also closed its Privium Service to new members because of labor shortages combined with large numbers of applications, its website says.
The VIP service has a starting price of 617.10 euros, including Value Added Tax (VAT), for a single passenger and gives customers access to the airport's VIP Centre, and VIP lounges. It includes private security check-in, as well as baggage handling, and transport via a luxury vehicle.
The starting price for a single passenger to use the service during a transfer is 834.90 euros with an extra 411.40 euros payable per additional person. Both prices include VAT. Guests can pay to add other extras.
A spokesperson for the airport told Insider: "The VIP service will only be available for regular guests in the coming period, we can hardly accommodate requests from new guests who have not used the VIP service before. We are working on expanding the number of staff, at the same time it has always been an exclusive service."
Like many of the major transport hubs around the world, the airport was the scene of long lines, mass delays, and cancellations over the summer as pent-up demand for travel reached its peak.
In September, Schiphol started offering compensation to customers who missed their flights due to the long lines.
It's not the only aviation organization that's having to adapt its service following the pandemic. On Thursday, American Airlines' chief commercial officer, Vasu Raja, said that the carrier is scrapping first class on long-haul international flights because customers are no longer buying it.
Raja said that since the pandemic, passengers are increasingly taking trips that blend work and travel, and are therefore prepared to pay a bit more for a higher-quality seat in business class.