A Marvellous Makeover

By the end of this year we'll have a brand new check in area at Heathrow Terminal 3, Zone A and a state of the art Drive Thru Check In for Upper Class passengers arriving by chauffeur driven car. This work will be completed well ahead of Terminal 5, which is due to open in March 2008. The Virgin Atlantic Check In area will be wider, brighter and more spacious. It will focus on fast, efficient and stress free self service check in.

The development is part of BAA’s refurbishment and expansion of Heathrow Terminal 3 and has been designed by Foster + Partners architects in conjunction with the Virgin Atlantic in house design team.

A Truly Upper Class Journey

The new Upper Class Drive Thru Check In will be like no other business or first class check in, with an elegant new glass fronted annexe building situated to the rear of the existing Terminal 3. Upper Class passengers will be taken in their chauffeur driven car up a curved ramp onto a wide circular arrival area, where a dedicated host will welcome them. All Check In formalities will be completed in the car before the passengers arrive, so all that’s left to do is check travel documents and answer security questions before walking through the hotel style lobby. From here it will be a short walk to security and through to the Clubhouse, and then onto the gate.

A Quick and Easy Experience

It is estimated that the majority of our passengers will take less than 15 minutes to get from check in through to the Departure lounge and even less time for our Upper Class passengers to get to the Clubhouse, giving you more time to relax before your flight.

In the Meantime

We're continuing to develop our check in areas within Terminal 3, so if you're travelling through the airport you'll notice the ongoing construction work. We apologise for inconvenience caused by this, but bear with us as it will be worth the wait. As always, we ask you to check in online for your flight at www.virginatlantic.com/checkin and ideally you should arrive at the airport around 2.5 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure time. Standard Check In and Bag Drop desks close 60 minutes prior to departure, so you must ensure you've completed all check in procedures by this time.

Access to Level 2 Departures

As part of the Terminal 3 developments the BAA have removed the stairway in Zone A, so you will need to use the stairs, escalators or lift facilities located in Zone B just a short walk from our check in area.

Ticket Desk Location Change

The ticket desk has moved from the centre of Zone A and you'll now find this to the far left of the check in area (near the lifts and stairs from the Heathrow Express).