Luton-based airline Silverjet has confirmed the use of a private terminal away from the main airport complex for its new business class only services from Luton to Newark Airport across the Hudson River from downtown New York. It's between the new terminal building and the Easyland hangar, being refurbished as we speak.
Silverjet has chosen Thursday 25 January for the start of the service. The airline is directly competing with Eos and Maxjet out of Stansted and the business class offerings of American Airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic at Heathrow. Silverjet will operate a twin aisle 100-seat Boeing 767 with specially designed 75-inch (191cm) flat bed seats. Maxjet also flies 767s with 102 traditional reclining seats, whilst Eos (more up-market) offers a single aisle Boeing 757 kitted out for just 50 passengers.
Silverjet says that the new facility is ground-breaking, with its own security, customs and immigration and boarding process. The wider plan is to cut down and simplify all the aspects of getting on the aircraft. There are no check-in desks as such at the dedicated private terminal facility; passengers drop their luggage with a concierge on arrival and relax at the 'Silver Lounge', where 'Seat Side' check-in will take place if customers have not already checked in beforehand via internet or telephone.
Silverjet's customer experience director Martyn Bridger comments, "In my 25 years of premium airline experience, I now have the opportunity to address a key issue that frequently frustrates customers: the queues and often lengthy delays at check-in."