Long gone are the days when air travel was a glamourous affair. We've swapped supersonic speeds for endless queues, carry-on valeeses for transparent plastic bags, and service with a well glossed smile for pay-as-you go menus.

And that's not even mentioning the Asda-esque in-flight duty free announcements...

We may not be able to reclaim the glam (although Virgin's new spa and Ramsay's Terminal 5 restaurant in '08 are a start), but the below should certainly help ease the pain.

Packing
As more baggage than ever is lost or pilfered, send it securely. Get everything from your surfboard to crockery collected from home or work and dropped to wherever you want in the world prior to your arrival.
firstluggage.co.uk or excessluggage.co.uk

To the airport
Got a late outbound or inbound flight, get ferried to/from the airport in your own set of wheels by Drive-U-Home, saving you those exorbitant long-term parking fees and allowing you a cheeky miniature on the flight back. Or if you don't fancy parking up with your driver in a Skoda, go the full hog and get chauffeur driven in style in a Bentley or a bespoke vehicle. Or use Europcar's nifty conneXions rental deal.
Drive-U-Home - 020 7880 1100. From £35
TC Executive Cars - 020 8941 6207. From £60
Europcar conneXions - 0845 889 9999. From £78

At the airport
Buy your way in from £12 to relax at one of the smart (but not super swanky) lounges where you can drink, snack and and wi-fi to your heart's content on the house for up to three hours before departure.
Lounge Pass or Executive Lounges (London-wise Heathrow Holideck Terminal 4 is the most deluxe)