I booked Tom for my trip from US to London back in May at T2. I used his service for both my arrival and departure. Tom is the consummate professional! He was on time and made the trip from LHR to my hotel a snap as well as the departure. Tom is pleasant and his knowledge of London history was a bonus for our trip in and out of London . Bosch as he would say!
Top tip if you need to wait a bit because you are at the airport early: You can park in the Long stay at Heathrow for Free up to 30 mins, and Gatwick free for up to 2 hours!
Tom! You’ve missed such a basic trick here when it comes to the pickup. Yes you’re right the sign boards are useless, so easily counteract this by wearing a red hat. Nobody wears red hats, ive requested this for years and on occasions the drivers agree its such a big help when you land, especially if its a foreign country. Remember the hat!
I recently went on holiday. A bit of a multi country tour. USA, CANADA and NZ. And i will say. As a British citizen. The longest passport control for me to get through was British passport control.
I always ask the customers to ring or text when they have gotten into the arrivals hall. Then drive in, pay for your parking straight away. It saves you doing it when you've collected your customer. Then its down the lift, meet, back up the lift, to the car and then out, sometimes I do it in less than 15 mins unless its terminal 3 which requires an extra lift and a bit of walking.
I assure you, just because their flight landed on time every day this year, doesn’t mean it’ll land on time the day you’re picking them up. The only thing that would affect a flight that far ahead, probably only 1 day till pick-up date would be horrendous weather over all of Europe or a systems failure from the airline/ATC meaning excessive delays everywhere. Which would likely make news so you’d know about it and the best person to know the clients new ETA would be the client themselves in that case
I learned early on(2002)and if it was T1,2 or 3 and because for me it was a @5 hour return trip from my provincial Town, I would park at Reading Sevices,and have the customer message me the minute they had de-planed,giving us both,with luck around an hour to link up.Nine times out of ten this worked.
If they're landing at LHR, add another two hours of sitting on the apron waiting for a gate and another hour and half waiting in baggage reclaim. It's an absolute mess right now.
Ha! I do the satnav thing! These are all pretty obvious tips but really appreciate the “use the same lift route on both legs” one as that is an easy mistake to make!
I have seen people be told in T5 to go to the car park and up to level 1, they looked at the queues and decided to use the glass lifts in the terminal instead as there was no queue. A few minutes later, watch them get out of the lift and walk to the car park lifts.
Keep looking out for you London. Had to laugh at last week's video, I didn't realise black cabs had to obey the 20mph, especially on Kensington Road. This afternoon it's off to T4, my least favourite terminal. Two cars, six people returning from a work exhibition in Amsterdam, will be like herding sheep.
I use to pick my MD at work from Terminal 3 and Gatwick airports. So he liked my pick ups due to my sitting outside airport until the last minute. So used all those tricks. Just once at Gatwick they were diverted to Stansted due to a tyre blow out and waited 2 hours around the airport. Nearby Tesco's only has 2 hours and does not like private hire drivers hanging about. I bought something so was a customer. Lucky I was not in the car park. Another pick up at City Airport diverted to Southend due to fog. That one took an hour drive but was quick.
I always eat slowly with the sandwich packaging on the dashboard. I look at it like this, if that bloke over there, eating his lunch in a transit van is okay, why can I not sit here and enjoy my sandwich 🥪
What about The authorised vehicles car park it’s for Hackney carriage and private hire drivers too. It has facilities where you can buy food and use the toilet. It’s within the airport itself I believe it’s called AVA parking
flight radar is great but the arrival time is the time the wheels hit the ground, not the time the plane gets to stand / gate. With BA this can be anything from 10 mins to 30mins. in the old days club/first bags would hit the belt first nowadays its as they come. My last T5 flight took about 90 mins between wheels on the ground grabbing my bags and getting to Nero's. - there was something parked on its stand.
Interesting to see the other side of this as I find meeting the person picking me up to be the most stressful bit! Always run into some kind of hiccup! I will say, if a passenger advises they’re using the airport’s special assistance, add a chunk of time on. Been many a time where I’ve been the last passenger sat on an aircraft as they’ve not turned up…
@@sw01ller or no one shows up and they have to work it out for themselves! I’m visually impaired so I’ve had the full range of experiences with assistance on both planes and trains, the good, the bad and the ugly!
Hi Tom keep it up you are doing a great job and having fun making some brilliant videos superstar Ali Walsall west midlands england junction 10 m6 Walsall churckery I hear you are coming to Walsall soon
Tom, this is Kismet. Just about to message you through your website and this video answered so many questions. Need to hire you to collect me at LHR (suffice to say i remember when it was London Airport) Will message details but I am not very mobile anymore so will have 2 pieces of hold luggage on wheels and a carryon wheelie I can manage with a cane. I now knpw what info to provide and will provide. Will be LHR to Kings Cross. Cheers!
Hi Tom, love the videos! Question, I go to London twice a year and love to try and support the black cabs, but I always notice the huge price difference between them and Uber. I got an Uber from Knaresborough Place - Hyde Park Corner and it was £13 (heavy traffic, 40 min trip) I then got one back an hour or so later in a cab (little traffic, 20 min journey) and it was nearly £30! Is this normal or was I mugged off? 🥲 I expect to pay extra but more than double is absurd! Thanks 👍
I booked Tom for my trip from US to London back in May at T2. I used his service for both my arrival and departure. Tom is the consummate professional! He was on time and made the trip from LHR to my hotel a snap as well as the departure. Tom is pleasant and his knowledge of London history was a bonus for our trip in and out of London . Bosch as he would say!
Yep it came in super handy as I now know to never pick anyone up at Heathrow. Great video and certainly an eye opener.
Top tip if you need to wait a bit because you are at the airport early: You can park in the Long stay at Heathrow for Free up to 30 mins, and Gatwick free for up to 2 hours!
Tom! You’ve missed such a basic trick here when it comes to the pickup. Yes you’re right the sign boards are useless, so easily counteract this by wearing a red hat. Nobody wears red hats, ive requested this for years and on occasions the drivers agree its such a big help when you land, especially if its a foreign country. Remember the hat!
I recently went on holiday. A bit of a multi country tour. USA, CANADA and NZ. And i will say. As a British citizen. The longest passport control for me to get through was British passport control.
Tom is a man of the people. Always helping out somehow someway. Knowledge is power 🚖
I always ask the customers to ring or text when they have gotten into the arrivals hall.
Then drive in, pay for your parking straight away. It saves you doing it when you've collected your customer. Then its down the lift, meet, back up the lift, to the car and then out, sometimes I do it in less than 15 mins unless its terminal 3 which requires an extra lift and a bit of walking.
I assure you, just because their flight landed on time every day this year, doesn’t mean it’ll land on time the day you’re picking them up. The only thing that would affect a flight that far ahead, probably only 1 day till pick-up date would be horrendous weather over all of Europe or a systems failure from the airline/ATC meaning excessive delays everywhere. Which would likely make news so you’d know about it and the best person to know the clients new ETA would be the client themselves in that case
I learned early on(2002)and if it was T1,2 or 3 and because for me it was a
@5 hour return trip from my provincial Town, I would park at Reading Sevices,and have the customer message me the minute they had de-planed,giving us both,with luck around an hour to link up.Nine times out of ten this worked.
Just what’s needed for a Saturday morning 😀
If they're landing at LHR, add another two hours of sitting on the apron waiting for a gate and another hour and half waiting in baggage reclaim. It's an absolute mess right now.
During peak hours definitely.
The apron is at the gate, if you’re on the apron, the gate has already been decided.
Took my 10 mins to leave including collecting a bag today.
Ha! I do the satnav thing! These are all pretty obvious tips but really appreciate the “use the same lift route on both legs” one as that is an easy mistake to make!
I have seen people be told in T5 to go to the car park and up to level 1, they looked at the queues and decided to use the glass lifts in the terminal instead as there was no queue. A few minutes later, watch them get out of the lift and walk to the car park lifts.
I was hoping you would comment Andrew! Was thinking of you as I made this 👍🏻
Keep looking out for you London. Had to laugh at last week's video, I didn't realise black cabs had to obey the 20mph, especially on Kensington Road.
This afternoon it's off to T4, my least favourite terminal. Two cars, six people returning from a work exhibition in Amsterdam, will be like herding sheep.
I use to pick my MD at work from Terminal 3 and Gatwick airports. So he liked my pick ups due to my sitting outside airport until the last minute. So used all those tricks. Just once at Gatwick they were diverted to Stansted due to a tyre blow out and waited 2 hours around the airport. Nearby Tesco's only has 2 hours and does not like private hire drivers hanging about. I bought something so was a customer. Lucky I was not in the car park.
Another pick up at City Airport diverted to Southend due to fog. That one took an hour drive but was quick.
I always eat slowly with the sandwich packaging on the dashboard. I look at it like this, if that bloke over there, eating his lunch in a transit van is okay, why can I not sit here and enjoy my sandwich 🥪
What about The authorised vehicles car park it’s for Hackney carriage and private hire drivers too. It has facilities where you can buy food and use the toilet. It’s within the airport itself I believe it’s called AVA parking
flight radar is great but the arrival time is the time the wheels hit the ground, not the time the plane gets to stand / gate. With BA this can be anything from 10 mins to 30mins. in the old days club/first bags would hit the belt first nowadays its as they come. My last T5 flight took about 90 mins between wheels on the ground grabbing my bags and getting to Nero's. - there was something parked on its stand.
Im glad i now know how long i can wait to not pick up my parents in law on time, thanks Tom!
A 10 hour flight is rather short (at least from my perspective) :-) Another awesome TTTD video!!
I wish I would have those communication skills like yours. Well done mate you made very nice video 👍
Also check the winds especially if it is a long haul flight.
When I come to England I’m going to try to book you to pick me up from Heathrow 🙏 great video Tom!
Love the fact your in your bed with your jacket lol
Wait around nearby, wait for the phone call and pick them up from drop offs especially at t5! 😉
Elevators? It’s the UK, we have lifts. Lol
It would want to be a great fare to go to all that trouble.
Great imaginary banter with the client !! 🤣🤣🤣
Meet you in the arrivals lounge - even then there’s complications because some terminals have more than one.😮
Thanks for this
Interesting to see the other side of this as I find meeting the person picking me up to be the most stressful bit! Always run into some kind of hiccup!
I will say, if a passenger advises they’re using the airport’s special assistance, add a chunk of time on. Been many a time where I’ve been the last passenger sat on an aircraft as they’ve not turned up…
same on the trains too, the passenger is likely to be over carried to another city!!
@@sw01ller or no one shows up and they have to work it out for themselves! I’m visually impaired so I’ve had the full range of experiences with assistance on both planes and trains, the good, the bad and the ugly!
Very interesting and fantastic video Sir
What do you think about drivers passing on the short stay parking fee to passengers? I’ve had them charge £9+ because my luggage took a while.
It's not the drivers fault luggage took longer. Why should he have to pay?
@@mamz786Agreed, but not the drivers fault either in fairness.
Hi Tom keep it up you are doing a great job and having fun making some brilliant videos superstar Ali Walsall west midlands england junction 10 m6 Walsall churckery I hear you are coming to Walsall soon
3D buildings on google maps is awesome, when immersive view is availble for sat nav call it a day google😂😂😂
Wouldn’t want to do any of that would need to pay really well
I have a very regular customer, always hand luggage only, if I head in from Bath Road, as he touches down he still can beat me to the car park.
Tom, this is Kismet. Just about to message you through your website and this video answered so many questions. Need to hire you to collect me at LHR (suffice to say i remember when it was London Airport) Will message details but I am not very mobile anymore so will have 2 pieces of hold luggage on wheels and a carryon wheelie I can manage with a cane. I now knpw what info to provide and will provide. Will be LHR to Kings Cross. Cheers!
Hi tom
Tom what’s the best way to contact you if one of us wanted to book you.
Hi hi
Was the video title meant to say 27 mins or 17 mins?
Guessing the 27 mins is related to parking as he said was parked for under 29 mins
@@Sam-xq8xh The video is 16 mins 59 seconds long…
8:39 time to leave the house and be a MLM. Typical cabbieknob (CK).
Hi Tom, love the videos! Question, I go to London twice a year and love to try and support the black cabs, but I always notice the huge price difference between them and Uber. I got an Uber from Knaresborough Place - Hyde Park Corner and it was £13 (heavy traffic, 40 min trip) I then got one back an hour or so later in a cab (little traffic, 20 min journey) and it was nearly £30! Is this normal or was I mugged off? 🥲 I expect to pay extra but more than double is absurd! Thanks 👍
This is the problem with Uber, they can surge price as they like.
In a taxi it’s metered, the price of the meter is set by Transport for London