Los Angeles International Airport officials have approved opening a special terminal for the rich and famous to wait for their flights far from the paparazzi and riffraff. Some have dubbed this a terminal for the 1% of society because the barrier to entry is the expense, not any measure of fame.

The lounge, which was given the green light on Thursday, eclipses even the business class and first class areas available at major airports.

“I am very excited about this service for celebrity and VIP guests at LAX,” said Deborah Flint, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports.

“We are very focused on making LAX a world-class airport and offering a wide variety of amenities,” Flint said in an e-mail to AFP.

The “remote lounge” as it is called, was approved by the Los Angeles Airport Commission and marks the first such space in a United States airport.

Similar areas already exist however in London, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Dubai, Paris, Moscow, Munich, Frankfurt, Geneva, Madrid and Zurich, according to a project proposal.

Both US authorities and the Transportation Security Administration support the idea, the proposal said.

The terminal will be constructed in a hangar already in need of renovation, and requires an investment of some US$3 million (2.8 million euros) by security firm Gavin de Becker, which will manage the project.

Celebrities, business executives and other well-heeled individuals can expect to pay US$1,500 to US$1,800 to access the space, according to US media.