We include meet & greet on every airport pickup. The mechanics differ slightly by airport — this article walks through what's standard, what's airport-specific, and what to do if something goes wrong.
The basics
Three things happen on a Fare 1 airport pickup:
- Flight tracking. Once you've shared a flight number at booking, we track the inbound flight from departure. If your plane lands early or runs late, the pickup time adjusts automatically.
- Driver waiting before arrivals. The driver positions themselves at the arrivals-exit closest to your terminal, with a Fare 1 name board showing your name.
- Up to 60 minutes of free waiting from actual landing. The clock starts when wheels touch the runway, not at your booked pickup time. Beyond 60 minutes, £20 per hour pro-rated.
Vehicle is parked in the short-stay or meet-and-greet zone closest to the relevant terminal. The driver brings the car around once you've met inside.
Airport-by-airport
Heathrow. Meet at the Costa Coffee landmark in the arrivals lounge of your terminal — T2, T3, T4, T5 all have a Costa within view of the customs exit. The driver will text you a brief description (e.g. "Mercedes E-Class, navy suit, waiting near Costa, T5") when your flight lands.
Gatwick. North and South terminals are separate. The driver will be in your arriving terminal, opposite the customs exit doors, holding the name board. North Terminal has a dedicated meeting point near Marks & Spencer; South Terminal meeting point is near WH Smith.
Stansted. Single arrivals hall. Driver waits just past the customs barrier, name board visible. Vehicle in the short-stay car park, 3-5 minute walk.
Luton. Driver waits in the arrivals hall near the exit doors. Vehicle in the short-stay car park (the long-stay is too far for meet & greet to work).
London City. Tiny terminal — driver will be visible from the customs exit. Short stay is 2 minutes away on foot.
Bournemouth. Small terminal, one arrivals exit. Driver waits in arrivals hall.
Bristol. Driver positions outside arrivals (the airport doesn't allow extended kerbside waiting); name board visible from inside. We share the driver's phone number on arrival so you can call when you're through.
Manchester. Three terminals; driver in your specific terminal's arrivals area near the meeting point sign.
Birmingham. Single terminal, single arrivals exit. Driver waits in the arrivals hall.
What if my flight is significantly delayed?
The flight tracker handles delays up to ~3 hours seamlessly. Beyond that:
- For very long delays we may have to switch drivers if the original driver's shift ends. We co-ordinate this with you and update your contact details.
- If your flight diverts to another airport, we handle the diverted pickup at the new airport at the original quoted price.
- If your flight cancels, we cancel the booking and release the card hold. No fee, since the cancellation isn't on your side.
What if I can't see the driver?
It happens occasionally — busy arrivals halls, sign placement issues, you've come out a different exit.
First call the driver. The driver's phone number is on the confirmation email and on the trip detail in your account.
Then call dispatch. Dispatch number is on the receipt and at /contact. We can radio the driver and direct them to your specific location.
We bill the standard waiting allowance from your actual landing time, not from the point we eventually connect — so any minutes lost to find-each-other delays come off your free 60.
Customs and luggage timing
Worth knowing: the 60 free minutes is generous enough to cover almost any UK customs queue, but in pre-Christmas weeks at Heathrow T2/T3 we've seen customs take 90+ minutes. If you're concerned, WhatsApp dispatch before you board so we can warn the driver.
Pre-arrival reading
For more on specific airports, the airports hub has a detail page per UK airport with the surcharge structure and any local quirks. The airport surcharges article covers the per-airport drop-off and short-stay fees.
Any specific airport question, email us ahead of the booking and we'll confirm the meeting-point in writing.