Airport transfer booking checklist: what to collect before you confirm
Before confirming an airport transfer, collect the flight number, arrival date and airport, the passenger names and a usable contact, a separate count of large and cabin bags, any special requirements and the exact meeting point. Then check the vehicle can carry the group, explain what the quote includes and confirm the driver has the meeting instruction.
In this guide
1. Identify the flight and the local date
Collect the airline and flight number, travel date, arrival airport and terminal if known. Check that the date refers to arrival at the destination, especially for overnight flights.
Keep scheduled arrival, estimated arrival and your planned pickup as separate fields. The passenger still needs time for immigration, luggage and reaching the meeting point. Agree the pickup plan using your operating policy rather than treating touchdown as passenger readiness.
- Verify flight number, arrival date and airport.
- Record the planned pickup in the correct local time.
- Check the return journey separately.
2. Count people, bags and practical needs
A passenger count alone cannot determine the vehicle. Ask for large cases, cabin bags and bulky items, then check the capacity of the actual vehicle class you plan to offer.
Record child-seat, accessibility or assistance needs clearly and confirm whether you can provide the requested service. Avoid converting an unanswered question into a zero or a default assumption.
- Collect passenger names and a usable contact.
- Count large and cabin bags separately.
- Confirm special requirements before accepting the work.
3. Write the meeting point in human language
Airport names and map pins are useful, but passengers and drivers need a place they can recognise. Add the terminal, exit, meeting area and any name-board instruction.
For a hotel or business destination, include the full address and entrance where relevant. If there are intermediate stops, include their order and expected stay, rather than hiding them in a long note.
The same pickup, briefed two ways
| Detail | Incomplete brief | Complete brief |
|---|---|---|
| Flight | Friday morning | Flight XY 123, arriving Friday 14 November, 07:35 |
| Pickup | When they land | Planned pickup 08:15, set by your airport policy |
| Passengers | Three people | D. Reed and two colleagues; lead mobile on the booking |
| Luggage | Some bags | Two large cases and three cabin bags |
| Meeting point | Arrivals | Terminal 1 arrivals exit, beside the café, name board for D. Reed |
| Destination | City hotel | Hotel main entrance, full address on the booking |
Illustrative passenger and flight. The left column is a typical first message; the right column is what the driver needs.
The name board for that pickup
Your company
D. ReedXY 123
Preview only, using the illustrative passenger above. Agree the wording on the board with the passenger before you print it.
- State the terminal and exact meeting point.
- Agree the greeting sign or contact method.
- Verify the destination and every intermediate stop.
4. Explain what the quote includes
Make the vehicle or service class, total, currency and relevant extras clear. State your waiting, parking and change terms in the customer-facing offer rather than relying on what the dispatcher remembers.
If a deposit or online payment is required, show the customer the next step and verify the resulting payment state. Quote acceptance, booking confirmation and payment are related but distinct events.
- Review the rate breakdown and included service.
- Confirm any waiting or parking treatment.
- Check the accepted quote and payment status independently.
5. Check the handover before the journey
Assign the driver and vehicle, or complete the partner award and crew confirmation. Check that the people delivering the service have the latest pickup plan.
If the flight changes, review the effect on coverage and the customer’s instructions. Keep the original source and the decision together so the next dispatcher can understand why the plan changed.
- Confirm the named driver and vehicle.
- Check that the driver has the meeting instruction.
- Review flight updates without silently rewriting the pickup plan.
Questions operators ask
What details do you need to book an airport transfer?
Collect the airline and flight number, travel date, arrival airport and terminal if known, passenger names and a usable contact, the number of large and cabin bags, and any child-seat, accessibility or assistance needs. Add the destination address and entrance, and every intermediate stop in order with its expected stay.
Should the pickup time be the flight landing time?
No. Touchdown is not passenger readiness, because the passenger still needs time for immigration, luggage and reaching the meeting point. Keep scheduled arrival, estimated arrival and your planned pickup as separate fields, and agree the pickup plan using your own operating policy. For overnight flights, check the date refers to arrival at the destination.
How do I choose the right vehicle for an airport transfer?
Use the bags as well as the passengers. A passenger count alone cannot determine the vehicle, so ask about large cases, cabin bags and bulky items, then check the capacity of the actual vehicle class you plan to offer. Confirm special requirements before accepting the work rather than assuming a default.
How should I describe the airport meeting point?
Write it in human language. Map pins help, but passengers and drivers need a place they can recognise, so add the terminal, exit, meeting area and any name-board instruction. Agree the greeting sign or contact method, and check that the driver has the meeting instruction before the pickup.
What should an airport transfer quote include?
Show the vehicle or service class, total, currency and relevant extras, and state your waiting, parking and change terms in the offer itself rather than relying on what the dispatcher remembers. If a deposit or online payment is required, show the customer the next step and check the payment state separately from acceptance.
Take it into the working day
The airport booking checklist
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