UPPER CLASS WING & PURPLE PARKING.

Hello, can I ask another question to those experienced flyers?

My first time flying from Heathrow in UC I have flown UC from Gatwick before.

I have booked 'Z' class so no chauffeur driven car included and will drive myself to Heathrow, in my car.

I had an online chat with VA and also then called and had two different answers, but I have worked out most of it.

What I want to do is drive my car to Heathrow and use the UC Wing to check in, VA say I can book this at 30 days pre flight.

Now I had booked with BAA Heathrow meet and greet VA said, cancel that and use Purple Parking and they can then take my car from Upper Class wing.

So I did that, booked with PP, (Meet and Greet)there is an email address for UC bookings, emailed them but no answer.

Q How does this work? Do you meet PP, and then they drive you to the UC Wing? And take your car, or do you meet PP at the UC Wing? I want all of the family through the Wing security channel and not to drop off the family and then meet PP driver.

Q Do you book the Wing at 30 days or is it a month before etc? What is the day, they say they have slots to book?

Just for information, online chat said I could book it then, so I called they said no its a month only before. Online chat said i would have to drop off family and drive to Meet and Greet, on the phone they said no if I use PP then its all taken care of.

PP confirmation says I drop my car off in the short term car park and hand my keys to the transfer captain?

Thank you in advance for any answers.

You meet the PP people at the designated meeting spot, do the handover / paper work etc and then they drive you up to the Wing.

The booking to use DTCI doesn't have to be as far as 30 days in advance. When I have used it I've booked it a couple of days before.

As Tonty says, and others on this site have done, you meet the PP rep at "the usual place" and they drive you through the DTCI wing; there is no facility for the PP driver to meet you at the DTCI itself.

See Cooperman's final post in this thread

Thank you both,

Note the link for' Copperman' doesn't work for me.

I have just today arranged Purple Parking for flight to Chicago on Saturday, I booked Purple Parking on line & then called them & will meet their driver in one of the lanes outside Terminal 3 departures at the arranged time, the driver will then drive us to the UC wing. On our return we will collect car from designated area in Terminal 3 short term car park.

OLD BOY, thank you

Thank you both,

Note the link for' Copperman' doesn't work for me.

Now fixed, but essentially the same story as oldboy.

Great, thank you.

Novel though the experience it, it is hardly worth the effort IMHO. If you have to meet the PP meet-and-greeter at the usual places you would then need to drive around the block to get back to DTCI. It is likely quicker to walk in to zone A and up in the lifts after bag drop. I guess its fun to do if you have not done it before, but I really think it could actually take you longer to reach the CH.

Just a thought.

Don't forget you (or PP if that is part of the service) still need to book your DTCI spot with Virgin who will require the usual car details in advance.

DTCI is not a turn up and use service.

Yes was informed to book it at 30 days

I love drive through. Doing it tomorrow. Booked purple parking at the weekend and drive through yesterday. Noticed virgin uc welcome email (before we had booked dtci) had a direct email/link for pp which I hadnt seen before. It is one of my favourite parts of the uc experience- it is not the time saving as probably quicker if no queue just to go to desk but I like not having to manage my bags and children at the same time. I do the children and they do the bags. Now drive through departure would be perfect!

Last did this combo (Purple Parking & DTCI) back in September! Met the PP chap in lane 3 (I think) of the T3 drop off area, he looked over the car for any bumps, got me to sign a disclaimer and then he got in and drove us around to the block and into the entrance to the wing (takes less than a minute)!

Virgin check in staff and porters were waiting for us to help unload and then the driver took the car away. I suggest a tip (I give £10) for the driver as this is an extra service in my opinion!

If you have no hold luggage then I would say its not worth the effort of arranging but if you do have luggage then I 100% recommend it!

P.S I think that the PP drop of area may have changed now to one o the floors in the car park?!

it is hardly worth the effort IMHO. If you have to meet the PP meet-and-greeter at the usual places you would then need to drive around the block to get back to DTCI. It is likely quicker to walk in to zone A and up in the lifts after bag drop.

I beg to differ, it is a great start to the UC experience especially for the first timer, second timer and the FF

Go for it Upper Class Cat (love that name btw)

Yes was informed to book it at 30 days

Just weighing in on this one... how odd ?| Although I think they mean you can only book at a maximum of a month out from your flight..

When you get close to departure date, simply give UC services a call and ask to use the wing. Will need to have filled in APIS and have the car details to hand. Purple Parking can meet you at pre arranged point and then drive you round the wing. Hope you enjoy it 8D

Thank you all, I think its a one off using it this year, so want to go for it, VA did say 30 days out, on the phone, but there online chat said straight away, plan to call early July.

website says you can book within one month of travelling, and up to 12 hours before your flight

Thank you.

I don't mean to be negative about dtci, it's great. And to be fair if not travelling alone (especially if with the kids) I would absolutely still use it with PP.

Sadly if I am in upper it is always travelling reasonably light for work and going round the block for the privilege after meeting a driver just seems unnecessary. I am though a grouchy so and so this evening (i am told) Sorry, its been a long day

Of course you ABSOLUTELY should do it!

Have used this a number if times now and it is fantastic..... Sorry MrDoob... your evening in Grouchland must be bad !!!

Although PP now use the car park as a meeting point for usual bookings it is still out the front of T3 if you want to use the UC Wing. I let them know in advance and then telephone just as I come off of the M4 onto spur road.

Every time I have done this the PP guy is standing there ready and just jumps in with me so I drive around to the wing. We chat as drive round then once there we jump out and he hands me the ticket.... so simple.... much easier than driving up to meet them at their car park level.

For anyone like me driving their own car round to UC Wing..... just take care.... the turn is tight and do respect the bollard system. PP drivers told me of a few customers who have been a little impatient and been impaled or taken the turn to sharp and brushed up the wheels a little.

Personally I am a major major fan of the whole UC Wing.

Thank you for that detailed information.

If taking the PP guys through the dtci, how do you get around the requirement to tell VS the names of all people in the vehicle?

Tell them PP are taking you through, be just like a taxi driver taking your own car lol. Name of the driver not required.

I think it must of changed recently? Or don't they follow these rules?

To use the Upper Class Wing...

As long as you're an Upper Class passenger, all you need to do is call 01293 493600 within one month of travelling and up to 12 hours before your flight (between 7am and 8pm) with the following information:

Full flight details, including unique locator reference or ticket number
The names of all the passengers in the vehicle, and whether or not they're flying
The full passport details of flying passengers, and the address of their first night stay if travelling to the U.S.
The car registration, make, model and colour
The chauffeur or driver's name
A mobile number of the driver or passenger
The number of bags to be checked in
An email address for the confirmation
An estimated time of arrival

Edited to add link

Huh, have never been held to that before.

I have not used the PP route but a fair few car companies and even a black cab once, cabbie loved it. Never asked for driver names but had to give the car reg, model etc..

Does not sound like it is enforced, good spot in the T&Cs though, hadn't noticed before now.

Huh, have never been held to that before.

I have not used the PP route but a fair few car companies and even a black cab once, cabbie loved it. Never asked for driver names but had to give the car reg, model etc..

Does not sound like it is enforced, good spot in the T&Cs though, hadn't noticed before now.

That's interesting.
We are travelling out of LHR later in the year and want to use the DTCI.
The Radisson at LHR says they offer a chauffeur service but may only be able to give make and model when we arrive but may not know the name of driver so we were thinking of using a car company.