What to Do If Your Flight Is Delayed
From a Kent Airport Transfer
Flight delays happen. Whether it’s a knock-on effect from air traffic control restrictions, bad weather at your departure or arrival airport, or a technical issue with the aircraft, delays are one of the most common travel disruptions — and one of the most stressful, especially if you’ve already got a taxi booked to take you home or on to your next destination. The good news is that a delay doesn’t have to mean added stress about your transfer. Here’s what actually happens when your flight runs late, and what you should do about it.
We Track Your Flight, Not Just Your Booking Time
When you book an airport transfer with us, we don’t simply note down the time you gave us and forget about it. Your flight number is logged against your booking, and we monitor its status as your arrival approaches. If your flight is delayed, we see that in real time and adjust your pickup accordingly — you don’t need to phone us the moment you hear an announcement, and you don’t need to worry about your driver turning up at the original scheduled time and leaving before you’ve cleared customs.
This is standard practice across all our airport routes, from Gatwick and Heathrow to Stansted, Luton and London City. If you’re unsure how this works for your specific airport, the relevant airport page will explain the pickup process in more detail.
Waiting Time: Why You Shouldn’t Panic About Charges
One of the most common worries passengers have when a flight is delayed is whether they’ll be hit with extra charges for making the driver wait. This is a fair thing to wonder about, since some taxi and minicab services do charge by the minute once a certain grace period has passed.
Because we track your flight, a delay caused by the airline or air traffic control isn’t treated the same way as a passenger simply being late through no fault of the flight. Our waiting time policies for airport pickups are built around the reality that flights don’t always land on time — that’s precisely why flight tracking is part of the service in the first place. For the specific detail on how waiting time is handled for your airport, check the fare and booking information on the relevant airport page rather than assuming a generic policy, since terms can vary slightly by route and distance.
What You Should Actually Do When You Land Late
- Check your flight status before you land, if you can. Most airlines send delay notifications via app or SMS, and airport websites publish live arrivals boards.
- Keep your phone accessible once you land. If there’s any doubt about your pickup point or you can’t locate your driver, having your phone to hand means you can call or message straight away.
- Head to the agreed meeting point as normal. Unless you’ve been told otherwise, your original pickup instructions still apply — the driver will have adjusted their arrival time, not the location.
- Allow a little extra time for a delayed landing to translate into you actually walking through arrivals. Passport control, baggage collection and customs all take their own time, and this is factored into how pickups are timed.
When Delays Turn Into Serious Disruption
Occasionally a delay isn’t a matter of thirty or forty minutes but stretches into several hours, or a flight is cancelled and rebooked for the next day entirely. In situations like this, it’s best to get in touch directly rather than relying solely on automated flight tracking, particularly if your new arrival time falls very late at night or your booking needs to move to a different day altogether. A quick call or message lets us confirm the new arrangements properly rather than leaving anything to chance.
If your travel plans change significantly — a different arrival airport, a change of date, or an additional passenger joining you — it’s worth reviewing your original booking details and getting in touch to update them, rather than assuming the system will pick up every change automatically.
FAQ
Do I need to tell you if my flight is delayed?
Not necessarily — we monitor your flight number and adjust your pickup time automatically. That said, if the delay is significant or your flight is cancelled and rebooked, it’s a good idea to contact us directly so we can confirm the new arrangements.
Will I be charged extra if my flight lands late?
Waiting time linked to flight delays is handled differently from passengers simply running late on their own accord, since flight tracking exists specifically to account for this. Check your specific airport page for the full detail on how this applies to your route.
What if my delay means I land very late at night?
Your transfer will still go ahead, but it’s worth getting in touch if your new landing time is substantially different from what was originally booked.
Where do I meet my driver if my flight is delayed?
The same meeting point as originally arranged, unless you’re told otherwise. The delay affects timing, not location.
Book Your Airport Transfer
Flight delays are frustrating enough without having to worry about your transfer home. Take a look at our full range of airport transfer services for details on pickup arrangements, flight tracking and fares specific to your airport.