Dulwich Cars - charges for airport pick up

[Babbelina]

I have used this company for airport transfers for many years. Generally I think they are very reliable etc. However today I feel we have been treated really unfairly. I booked a taxi to pick us up from a flight (from NZ) that was landing at 1540 at Heathrow. The minute we landed I got a call from the driver saying he had arrived already. by the time we got through the usual debacle of passport control, bag collection etc it was about 1630. We then got a call from Dulwich Cars telling us that because we exceeded a 45 minute wait time, we have to pay an extra ?10 for the extra half hour. I disputed the fairness of the policy with the lady I spoke to - she said that if you don't want them to arrive exactly when your flight lands (when the clock starts ticking) you have to specify that in your booking. I would have thought it is bloody obvious that most people are going to take at least 45 minutes to get off the plane when travelling with bags and children (which they knew). Anyway , ?10 isn't a lot of money but it is more the principle than anything. I won't use them again - customer loyalty doesn't mean anything to them and there are plenty of other companies out there.

[Babbelina]

I don't agree. You give them the expected arrival time of the flight rather than a desired pick up so they can track it, see if it is on time or delayed. I appreciate that they can't wait around indefinitely without compensation but if they are going to start the clock ticking at the exact minute the flight lands then I think a warning to the customer at the time of booking to that effect would be helpful. I'm not sure if I have *ever* got through LHR in 45 minutes.

[Seabag]

They wait 45 mins before adding a charge?

[southeastelectric]

Your fault

If I make you wait nearly an hour

I'd expect to be punished

- it's business

This cabbie could have served other clients .

He was on time

You weren't

Pay the money and say sorry

It's your fault

He waited not because he wanted to

He waited because you owed him money for the fare

[Babbelina]

1. It was prepaid in advance.

2. You do pay for some waiting time as part of the pick up. (That's why pick up costs more than drop off).

my point is that the customer should be made aware at the time of booking that the 45 min wait starts at the second the plane lands (no one can possibly get out of LHR in under 15 minutes, even without luggage). Had I known that the driver would arrive on the dot of the landing, I would have asked him to arrive 30-45 mins later.

[KidKruger]

You tell them what time to pick you up.

They deal with 100s of pick-ups a day, they can't reasonably be expected to 'manage' everyone's specifics for them (whether you have kids, whether your flight is delayed, whether your flight needs a 45min allowance or a 1hr 15min allowance before actually collecting).

If you'd been out of the airport quickly and available for collection at the time you'd booked for, but cab was delayed due to unexpected traffic would you be building in an allowance for that or is that also the cab firm's obligation - leaving you with nothing to do other than stipulate an unrealistic pick-up time and expect the world to fall in to place around you regardless of how the logistics actually unfold ?

The sense of entitlement is bewildering. But then again, this IS East Dulwich.

Not sure what the point of this post was - presumably to lose Dulwich Cars some business ? So, basically, book a cab for an unreasonable time, watch your plan fail, blame the cab firm on a public forum - then argue your point until blue in the face, against common sense and 100% of posters falling on side of the cab firm.

Sweet.

What an arse it must be to run a firm like Dulwich Cars against such 'custom'. No mean feat, eh ?

[bobbsy]

Babbelina,I seem to be going against the flow here, but I agree with you.

[HelBel65]

As a seasoned traveller I'd expect an experienced cab firm to ask for my flight number so they can check it and arrive accordingly. Daft to arrive at the same time as the flight. Never really thought about it, that just seems like common sense to me!

[Babbelina]

I accept they have a fair limit on waiting policy. What I am suggesting is that (1) they advise the customer of this at the time of booking and (2) check if you want them to arrive on the dot of when the flight lands. It is worth pointing out i have not had this issue with them before as normally the driver arrives ~30-40 mins after you land. In fact we have often had to wait for the driver. Having spoken to the driver on this occasion, it appears he was dispatched and told to "drive slowly" (as they presumably knew we wouldn't be out) but he arrived in 50 mins (light Easter traffic I guess) and so he arrived as we landed. Then we got charged for excessive waiting time.

[Seabag]

I'm kinda with you, but it's one of those 'in retrospect/should have known' situations

I'd contact the company and explain your thoughts, and how it's been previously for you

It seems a bit grey and slightly opportunistic of the company to hit an existing client. Might be a case of giving them the chance to rethink and discounting you all or 50% of the latest overcharging.

Or just wipe your mouth, it's ?10 and if they and you can't agree, go elsewhere maybe.

Good luck.

[southeastelectric]

On the other hand

Isn't there enough minicabs at the airport ?

[Nigello]

Stupid to arrive at the time of the flight, unless the cabbie and cab operator has never flown in to a huge airport at major international city. No excuse not to be able to check the ETA and actual arrival of the flight, then add in a reasonable amount of time for customs and baggage reclaim.

Give them the link to this thread, tell them you're dissatisfied and book with another operator in the future.

[KrackersMaracas]

Babbelina, I agree with you too - if I've told a cab firm when my flight was landing and asked them to pick me up, I wouldn't expect the car to call me as my flight landed to say they were waiting: I would expect that had more to do with management than the driver themselves though. For any cab company offering "airport pickup" I'd expect they would know that the time your flight arrives is not when you will be able to be picked up from. This being said it does depend on the details left on the booking form - if the booking form requested "pick up time" and you asked for the cab at 15.40, then yes - it is right that there was an additional ?10 cost. If however, you specified that you wanted to be picked up as a result of a flight which would arrive at 15.40, then as an earlier poster pointed out, it belies their lack of experience that they would arrive at the airport expecting you to be available from the moment the flight touches down. It's a frustrating policy and although I won't take my custom elsewhere as a result I will be mindful of it in the future. I have booked airport pickups with local companies in the past and been a bit surprised about their arrival time for flights. To date, that hasn't been a problem as I haven't needed to wait for luggage, but if I had been hit with an extra ?10 charge as a result I would have been pretty annoyed too. It isn't entitled to expect a cab company that offers airport pickups to have a basic grasp of how air travel works.

[cabcontroller]

Babbelina Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have used this company for airport transfers for

> many years. Generally I think they are very

> reliable etc. However today I feel we have been

> treated really unfairly. I booked a taxi to pick

> us up from a flight (from NZ) that was landing at

> 1540 at Heathrow. The minute we landed I got a

> call from the driver saying he had arrived

> already. by the time we got through the usual

> debacle of passport control, bag collection etc it

> was about 1630. We then got a call from Dulwich

> Cars telling us that because we exceeded a 45

> minute wait time, we have to pay an extra ?10 for

> the extra half hour. I disputed the fairness of

> the policy with the lady I spoke to - she said

> that if you don't want them to arrive exactly when

> your flight lands (when the clock starts ticking)

> you have to specify that in your booking. I would

> have thought it is bloody obvious that most people

> are going to take at least 45 minutes to get off

> the plane when travelling with bags and children

> (which they knew). Anyway , ?10 isn't a lot of

> money but it is more the principle than anything.

> I won't use them again - customer loyalty doesn't

> mean anything to them and there are plenty of

> other companies out there.

Hi

I am from Dulwich Cars and I would like to explain our side of events. I agree that you are upset being charged waiting time but I would like to explain a few things about our service we supplied that day. We allow 45 minutes waiting time for every flight this starts once the flight touches down. The majority of customers travelling with European passports come through within the allocated time and if its 10 minutes over we do not charge anything.

I would like to explain your case as I listened to the recording. You stated that your flight was due at 15:40 and the flight number you supplied was SQ4282 from Singapore. When checking this on the day of arrival that flight number was from Auckland to Singapore. As you were travelling we had no way of contacting you. In this situation we had no choice but to send a driver for the arrival time that you had stated. We had also checked incoming flights from Singapore at that time hoping that you were on one of those. Under the circumstances we did everything we could to ensure you had a driver waiting for you to bring you and your family home.

If you would like the driver to arrive 30 minutes after the flight has landed we can do this but this must be mentioned at the time of booking.

I understand that you were frustrated but we offered the service you required and also arrived with the child seats that you requested.

Thanks

[karen s]

Hi.

I have used Dulwich for a good few years now, including airport pick ups. I have always been told exactly how much I have to pay which includes 45 mins waiting time after the plane has landed.If you don't come out on time you really can't expect the driver to wait for free. He is working for a living not as a charity worker.

For airport pick ups I always ask them to get to airport 30 mins after arrival time that gives you extra time to get out without extra charge.

Also it is up to you to give them the correct flights details.

You only have yourself to blame for being charged extra NOT Dulwich cars.Stop putting the blame on the cab company when you was late coming out.

[SJ2016]

I've been disappointed with their service too. I ordered a car seat for my 6 month old, and called up twice to confirm. But the taxi arrived without one. I learned they couldn't do the job so booked London Cars to collect us and the car seat message or they just didnt have one. Ended up with my 6 month old on my lap for 1.5 hours to airport

[KrackersMaracas]

It sounds like there are some specific factors which have meant that Babbelina's case is not straightforward and it's good of Dulwich Cars to show both sides of the story.

However for me the question (in general terms, and accepting that Babbelina's experience will not be everyone's experience) regarding airport pickup times would be - why should you have to ask?

If you've asked for an airport pickup and you've given a flight arrival time and number, surely it is painfully obvious that the minute the plane touches down is not the minute you will be outside ready to get into the cab?!?

When booking with companies like Addison Lee etc it isn't their policy to arrive for touchdown. I've always had a call to say they have arrived when I am in the baggage hall or queuing to clear immigration.

karen s Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi.

> I have used Dulwich for a good few years now,

> including airport pick ups. I have always been

> told exactly how much I have to pay which includes

> 45 mins waiting time after the plane has landed.If

> you don't come out on time you really can't expect

> the driver to wait for free. He is working for a

> living not as a charity worker.

> For airport pick ups I always ask them to get to

> airport 30 mins after arrival time that gives you

> extra time to get out without extra charge.

> Also it is up to you to give them the correct

> flights details.

> You only have yourself to blame for being charged

> extra NOT Dulwich cars.Stop putting the blame on

> the cab company when you was late coming out.

[cabcontroller]

Hi

We aim to have a vehicle at the airport for when the plane touches down. From that point we do include 45 minutes waiting time for the passengers to come through to meet the driver. We currently do approx. 70 airport transfers per day and its very rare that people take more time than the 45 mins.

With regards to the previous message I am unaware of this situation and I send my apologies. (the law states that and taxi or private hire vehicles do not require child seats) I understand that for safety reasons you would require one and the length of journey you took it would make sense. This is why we offer them. I will check with the other company as we supply all of the relevant information to them.

All of our drivers are self employed and due to family or personal circumstances they may have to change their day off or have a sick day at the last minute. If we ever find out that we are short of vehicles we will always arrange a replacement vehicle from another trusted company.

[Babbelina]

Thank you for clarifying your position. Would have been helpful to know it when we booked the taxi but hey ho.

[karen s]

Why do u need to apologise for the message I wrote. There is nothing wrong with it just the truth. It is her own fault simple.