◎陳成良
Wealthy travellers can pay £1,800 to jump long immigration queues at Heathrow airport.
富有的乘客在(英國)希斯洛機場,只要花上1800英鎊,就可跳過長長入境人龍,插隊入境。
The service, described as Heathrow’s ’best kept’ secret has outraged critics at a time when many passengers are forced to endure a three-hour wait to enter the country.
在很多乘客入境時都被迫忍受排隊3個小時的煎熬之際,被形容為希斯洛機場「保存最好的」秘密之這項服務,觸怒了批評人士。
And it follows claims long queues and staff shortages have forced customs officials to stop screening travellers for arms and drugs.
此前,由於排隊過長和人手不足,希斯洛機場的海關工作人員已經停止篩檢乘客是否攜帶武器和毒品。
Passengers who pay the £1,800 fee are whisked by limousine from their aircraft to a VIP suite, where they can sip champagne while their passports are checked and their luggage is brought to them.
乘客交1800英鎊後,一下飛機,就有豪華轎車迅速把他們接到VIP套房。他們可以在那裡邊喝香檳邊等待護照檢查,行李也會被運過去。