Schedule an UBER?

Grumpy_chap

OK, so I am not sure on this one.  

We are off to Spain and the flight is really early.  Normally we'd just get a bus to the airport, but the news says the public transport might be on strike. Plus delays and possible baggage-handler strike at the airport, we just thought to get a taxi instead and take one potential banana skin out of the equation.

In the past, we used to have a credit-account with a taxi firm but that account (indeed the cab firm) are long gone. Every trip had to be booked ahead of time

More recently, we've only ever just used UBER when we want a cab because it is so simple and immediate  The thing is, to go to the airport, we need to leave at 4 o'clock on Sunday morning.  My wife, probably sensibly, suggested there might not be a massive number of UBER drivers just pootling about at that sort of time hoping that the app sends them a booking.

Is it possible to book an UBER in advance for an out-of-hours service?  Can that pre-booking be relied upon?

OR, do I need to go and speak to the local cab firm that has taken up the office at the station?  Will they even take a one-off booking for odd hours given we are not proven customers?  Will they still need paying by cash and no change?

daveyjp

You haven't mentioned which airport, but our local one has a partner taxi company you just book a return trip with and pay up front.

On return leave the airport terminal, go to their office and a taxi will be called off the rank.

No drop off fee either, which other taxis have to charge.

Grumpy_chap

Heathrow airport.
I never heard of them having a partner taxi firm before.

Westin

Not sure where you are located @Grumpy_chap but I would have thought a taxi company would be happy (and used) to a pre-booked airport run, even from a new customer. 

Having had Ubers just cancel on me in the past (around London) or simply not finding Uber availability in the area at the time or need, I don’t use them so much now. I think your wife very wise to suggest not relying on them for such an important trip. You should listen to her more…

CKhalvashi

@Grumpy_chap I'd go to a taxi rank if you're in your local town and ask a driver what they'd charge to do it, making sure you get their license number (it'll be on the secondary plate on the back of the car normally). If doing this, make sure it's a Hackney Carriage, not Private Hire (who aren't allowed to accept such bookings in most circumstances). If you're living in London, this probably won't work on a budget.

I'd never use an airport partner Private Hire firm. Our local airport 'partner' charges around £25 one way from the airport to my house, a local company is around £14. PH is unregulated in terms of fares, so this is legal.

Grumpy_chap

It's odd what you find you don't know.

We normally take the flight at around 7 in the evening on a Friday for our holidays.  Very easy as we finish work, jump on the bus from the end of the road and next thing you know landed in Spain ready for a late evening meal.

I've only ever once gone to the airport other than on the bus - that was when alone and the bus did not turn up so I ran / walked instead.  Added to which you can't really actually walk into the airport, so have to get the tube then from Hatton Cross (though I got on a couple of stops sooner).  I have never been so knackered.

Anyway, this trip we could not get the Friday evening flight for some reason so have silly o'clock Sunday morning.  My wife then read that the buses are on strike this weekend coming and neither of us fancy being stood at the bus stop at 4 am wondering what to do.

I have checked the Heathrow partner taxi service (from the website) and they are quoting £50.

I'll enquire at the local cab firm this evening.

Grumpy_chap

Well, walked down to the station to book the local cab firm and they were closed - not just closed for the evening, but closed, shut up shop for good - I checked with the station staff.

So, the Heathrow partner cabs were £60ish, not quite so local small companies £40 and the national cab firm £33 so they got the booking.  At least I have a phone number to call if they fail to turn up.

Voyager2002

Grumpy_chap said:

Well, walked down to the station to book the local cab firm and they were closed - not just closed for the evening, but closed, shut up shop for good - I checked with the station staff.

So, the Heathrow partner cabs were £60ish, not quite so local small companies £40 and the national cab firm £33 so they got the booking.  At least I have a phone number to call if they fail to turn up.

And another point: most travel insurance covers you if your pre-booked transport to the airport lets you down, but not if you cannot get transport on the day.

Grumpy_chap

Voyager2002 said:

And another point: most travel insurance covers you if your pre-booked transport to the airport lets you down, but not if you cannot get transport on the day.

Thank you - that's good to know.

Grumpy_chap

Thanks for everyone's advice on this - we got the cab booked so should get to the airport 2 hours ahead of time (which would normally be sufficient).

Just got a text from BA suggesting to arrive with three hours, which seems more than we should need especially for an early morning flight so there won't have been time for queues to build up in advance by too much.

BA then continued to suggest that to avoid queues it would be a good idea to go to the airport the day before and drop bags off.  Is it just me, or is that only going to cause more chaos?  If people start going to the airport the day before, then home, then back on the day of the flight, that will mean double the number of people being within the check-in / bag-drop areas, so creating more congestion.  

martindow

I would be inclined to take up BA's offer to check your bags in the night before.  You can go by bus as you normally would do and take a lot of pressure off the following morning. 

They also must have good reason for suggesting you get there earlier on the morning of departure so I would do that too.  Call the cab company and adjust your booking for an hour earlier.  They will be well used to customers' arrangements changing and I'm sure it won't be a problem.