Airport Transfers response

Thank you to everyone who submitted responses to my earlier post.

I guess it comes down to researching the destination prior to arriving to
secure the best and cheapest option.

For my part, I am attempting to target the traveler who wants a little extra
service at each destination.

Lining up for a taxi, or going on a circuit route delivering other
passengers to their hotel on a shuttle bus may not appeal to someone who has
come off a long flight.

The additional service of being met by someone holding your name on a sign,
being assisted with luggage to a nice clean car, and transported straight to
your hotel/destination, especially after a long flight, may have a certain
appeal and worth the little extra in cost.

Make this a uniform service around the world and you can see where I am
heading with this.

Thanks

For the most part this is available at major airports for anyone willing
to pay for it. This will range from comparable to a taxi to
significantly more. As I remember, in Rome it was actually less than a
taxi or mini van. At CDG it ran about twice the mini van for 2 folks. FFM

Airport Transfers Australia wrote:

Thank you to everyone who submitted responses to my earlier post.

I guess it comes down to researching the destination prior to arriving to
secure the best and cheapest option.

For my part, I am attempting to target the traveler who wants a little extra
service at each destination.

Lining up for a taxi, or going on a circuit route delivering other
passengers to their hotel on a shuttle bus may not appeal to someone who has
come off a long flight.

The additional service of being met by someone holding your name on a sign,
being assisted with luggage to a nice clean car, and transported straight to
your hotel/destination, especially after a long flight, may have a certain
appeal and worth the little extra in cost.

Make this a uniform service around the world and you can see where I am
heading with this.

Thanks

Thank you to everyone who submitted responses to my earlier post.

I guess it comes down to researching the destination prior to arriving to
secure the best and cheapest option.

For my part, I am attempting to target the traveler who wants a little
extra
service at each destination.

Lining up for a taxi, or going on a circuit route delivering other
passengers to their hotel on a shuttle bus may not appeal to someone who
has
come off a long flight.

The additional service of being met by someone holding your name on a
sign,
being assisted with luggage to a nice clean car, and transported straight
to
your hotel/destination, especially after a long flight, may have a certain
appeal and worth the little extra in cost.

Make this a uniform service around the world and you can see where I am
heading with this.

Things have changed a bit in the last 4 years. Back in 2000, during the Dot
Com boom, it was always BC and Taxis for us. Now it is restricted economy
and public transport.

"Airport Transfers Australia" schreef in
bericht . au...

The additional service of being met by someone holding your name on a
sign,
being assisted with luggage to a nice clean car, and transported straight
to
your hotel/destination, especially after a long flight, may have a certain
appeal and worth the little extra in cost.

Normally, and in countries where one can trust the taxi service, I hate it
when my employer arranges an airport pick-up. At busy airports, often it is
difficult to find the person holding the sign, and what I hate most is to be
told "wait here while we get the car" when I could have taken a normal taxi
immediately.

Sjoerd

"Airport Transfers Australia" wrote in
message . au...
I guess it comes down to researching the destination prior to arriving to
secure the best and cheapest option.

For my part, I am attempting to target the traveler who wants a little
extra
service at each destination.

Lining up for a taxi, or going on a circuit route delivering other
passengers to their hotel on a shuttle bus may not appeal to someone who
has
come off a long flight.

The additional service of being met by someone holding your name on a
sign,
being assisted with luggage to a nice clean car, and transported straight
to
your hotel/destination, especially after a long flight, may have a certain
appeal and worth the little extra in cost.

Make this a uniform service around the world and you can see where I am
heading with this.

On occassion I will use a limo transfer, but it depends on a number of
factors.

For example, I have a couple of late arrival / departure flights out of KLIA
later this year and I have elected to use a limo type service. In this case
it's priced decently for the length of ride, there will be baggage, and
there will be more than one person traveling. For daytime flights, I'll
gladly take the train between the city and the airport. The train
connection between the city and KLIA is absolutely great, but (1) I believe
it stops running at a certain hour and (2) after (or even before) a long
flight, even in First Class, it's nice to relax in the limo for a point to
point trip (airport to hotel or vice-versa).

On a couple of occassions where I have a lot of luggage and am traveling
with a few people, I might use a limo service locally (Louisville, KY). The
reason I use the limo is primarily because of the extra service and it's
reliable (unlike taxi services in town which aren't good at keeping timely
scheduled pick-ups; and with longer trips, I can't be bothered driving my
car to the airport and leaving it in the lot for a $100 parking bill upon
return). If I can get transport from a friend or family member, that is
always an option, but for flights departing mid-day or arriving mid-day when
friends & family members are at work, it isn't always a solution. Plus the
extra service is nice and helpful (and needed) at times.

However, like many others, I am a user of public transportation when
traveling to cities with good public transport cities. For example, I like
the public transport (and prefer it) at airports such as:

LHR (London-Heathrow): Hex, Tube.
LGW (London-Gatwick): Gatwick Exp to Victoria, Thameslink via East Croydon
to London Bridge. There are times I fly into LGW and first go upto East
Croydon to meet up for coffee in the morning before going into London.
BCN (Barcelona): Local Train service with transfers to Metro (and other
trains to destinations like Sitges).
MAD (Madrid): Excellent Metro service from the airport, other than the
location in Terminal 2, a bit of a walk if an Intl arrival @ 1.
BRU (Brussels): Train service with easy connections to nearby cities; in my
case would often fly into BRU and take the train to LUX.
AMS (Amsterdam): Train Service into city -- quick & easy.
FRA (Frankfurt): Train Service into city.
EWR (Newark): EWR AirTrain to NJ Transit Station - fast ride to Penn Station
(or I can take a local NJ Transit train to local NJ destinations).
JFK (New York): New AirTrain Service to Jamaica Station, Train (LIRR) to
Penn Station (Also Metro/Subway Options).
ORD (Chicago O'Hare): CTA to downtown
ATL (Atlanta Hartsfield): MARTA to downtown.

I could add several other cities, but public transport is often the way to
go, especially if I'm not dragging a lot of luggage. Some public transport
is better than others when it comes to luggage (elevators/lifts in stations
vs dragging suitcases up/down stairs). In some cities with good local
transport, I will sometimes opt for a taxi on occassion if I'm extremely
tired and want to go point to point - that is usually a decision made upon
arrival.

There are also other cities which lack public transport, but a taxi is often
reasonable alternative. In some places taxi services can be quite good as I
experienced with a recent experience in Budapest. The taxi's I took there
were nicer, higher end autos, and most drivers service oriented. Not quite
the same as a limo, but much nicer than a "run of the mill" taxi in many
cities.

As every market is different, I would say the demand for limo service
varies. When the price is right and I do need a limo service, I will use
one depending upon the city. For example I likely wouldn't do it in London
because of traffic reasons (public transport is often faster than traffic
which is often unreliable), but I would do it in other cities where traffic
isn't an issue and I either need or want the added service... (or because
it's late, I've just finished a long flight, and just want to relax without
any worries or taxi hassles).

Best,

Steve

In article ,
"Airport Transfers Australia" wrote:

Thank you to everyone who submitted responses to my earlier post.

I guess it comes down to researching the destination prior to arriving to
secure the best and cheapest option.

For my part, I am attempting to target the traveler who wants a little extra
service at each destination.

Lining up for a taxi, or going on a circuit route delivering other
passengers to their hotel on a shuttle bus may not appeal to someone who has
come off a long flight.

The additional service of being met by someone holding your name on a sign,
being assisted with luggage to a nice clean car, and transported straight to
your hotel/destination, especially after a long flight, may have a certain
appeal and worth the little extra in cost.

Make this a uniform service around the world and you can see where I am
heading with this.

True, but I suspect that at most major airports, it is certainly
possible to arrange a limo ride already. I don't see where what you
are proposing is all that innovative. A well healed traveler can do a
quick web search or consult with an informed travel agent to make
arrangements like what you propose.

I think we all know where you're heading. It is however a well trodden path
already. Every airport of any size offers a limousine service - in fact at
most airports there are multiple operators available who keep prices low
through competition.

Good Luck and all that - but you're considering a very competitive,
developed area.



"Airport Transfers Australia" wrote in
message . au...
Thank you to everyone who submitted responses to my earlier post.

I guess it comes down to researching the destination prior to arriving to
secure the best and cheapest option.

For my part, I am attempting to target the traveler who wants a little
extra
service at each destination.

Lining up for a taxi, or going on a circuit route delivering other
passengers to their hotel on a shuttle bus may not appeal to someone who
has
come off a long flight.

The additional service of being met by someone holding your name on a
sign,
being assisted with luggage to a nice clean car, and transported straight
to
your hotel/destination, especially after a long flight, may have a certain
appeal and worth the little extra in cost.

Make this a uniform service around the world and you can see where I am
heading with this.

Thanks