Money: The Terminal

Lufthansa Airlines recently opened the first terminal in the world where passengers are treated like VIPs. The terminal, at Frankfurt Airport, is exclusively for the airline’s first-class and high-mileage passengers. It will be used by just 350 travelers a day, each of whom is met by a personal assistant who handles all mundane tasks, from baggage check-in to seat assignments. Those pampered few then get to wait in an opulent lounge that has overstuffed Italian-leather chairs, a linen-tablecloth restaurant, a cigar area with a selection of 15 high-end whiskeys, offices and luxurious bathrooms. Just before departure, flyers are whisked to their plane in a Mercedes or Porsche. Lufthansa is planning a similar terminal for Munich and perhaps other airports. –By Sally B. Donnelly