GATWICK AIRPORT
Departures – General Advice
Feline Travel Minibus and Mini Coach Hire have lots of experience in taking passengers to Gatwick Airport. Once you have booked your transport with us to Gatwick Airport we will advise you on estimated travel time for your journey and the time that your Minibus, Mini Coach or Taxi and Driver will arrive at your chosen pick up point, travel time is always a “best estimate” based on our experience of the time you require to be at the Airport. Some Airlines will open their check in Desks 3 hours prior to departure and others 2 hours beforehand, you will need to check this with your Tour Operator or the Airline. Usually for those of you traveling overnight to arrive at Gatwick Airport for approximately 0730hrs there should be few problems with traffic delays (unless of course there is an unforeseen eventuality), we will discuss your departure and allow plenty of time for pick ups and your actual journey to arrive at the Airport. If you require a comfort stop on the way please let us know and we can allow for this when working out your timings, we prefer that you will arrive early at the Airport relaxed and ready to enjoy your Holiday. For those of you traveling during the daytime, you will generally require more time especially if your journey is likely to coincide with rush hour, again if a comfort stop is required on route we will discuss this with you. If your journey is on one of our Minibuses or Mini coaches we have to make sure that your timings allow for your Drivers legal working requirements, by law your Driver must use a Tachograph in the vehicle and their driving time is regulated by Law, he or she will advise you during the journey regarding break times if required. Feline Travel cannot be held responsible for delays to your journey due to unforseen circumstances, so please take our advice and allow plenty of time.
South Terminal Departures
If you and your group are traveling with us by Minibus or Mini Coach we have to drop you and your luggage off in the designated Charter Coach area, this is in the tunnel road at the South Terminal, it is safe and dry there, you can either take a short walk across the Airport Road into the Terminal or use the lifts which are close to the drop off point. If you are traveling by Taxi we are allowed to drop you off in the designated area close to the entrance to the Terminal. Please note where you have been dropped off as this will be the general area that you will be collected from on your return.
North Terminal Departures
Gatwick Airport have been updating the North Terminal recently, and there are new drop off areas close to the entrance to the departure lounge for Mini Coaches and Taxis. Please note where you have been dropped off as this will be the general area you will be collected from on your return.
Arrivals – General Advice for South and North Terminal
Coach Operators have to pay a permit fee to Gatwick Airport, this allows us to come down to the Charter Coach Pick up area to collect you. We always try to ensure that your Minibus, Mini coach or Taxi arrives at the Airport just as your flight is due to land, your Minibus or Mini Coach Driver will then be able to take his or her Statutory break of 45 minutes before collecting you (in our experience it will take 45 minutes to 1 hour for you and your group to go through customs and passport control) We will have given you contact telephone numbers for your driver and we ask you to call him or her once you have collected all your luggage – your Driver may have sent a text to your contact mobile ‘phone number to advise you if they are in the coach park waiting to be released to the Terminal or if there have been any delays on the journey down to meet you, so please switch your ‘phone on when the flight attendant says you can after landing). If you traveled by Taxi your Driver will also plan to arrive at the Airport in time to have a break before meeting you, the same advice applies to you although the Driver does not have to go into the Coach Park and he or she will be waiting somewhere in close proximity to your arrival terminal.
If you are not able to contact your Driver due to a bad telephone signal or if they are Driving then please telephone the Office on 01692 584987
Please Book your Minibus, Taxi or Mini coach early !
HEATHROW AIRPORT
Departures
There are several Terminals at Heathrow Airport, you must make sure which Terminal you require, Terminal 5 in particular is outside the main area of Terminal 1, 2, and 3, generally it may take a few minutes longer to travel to Terminal 4 or 5 than the other terminals, there are designated drop off areas for passengers traveling by Minibus, Mini Coach or Taxi – these areas are close to the departure lounges and so you should not have to walk too far with your luggage, there are usually plenty of luggage trolleys within the drop off areas, there are also luggage Porters around who will help you although they will charge you a fee for this service.
ARRIVALS – Minibus and Mini Coach Passengers -General Advice for for all Terminals
Once your flight has landed please switch on your mobile ‘phone as soon as you are allowed to, your Driver may have sent a text to you to advise that they are on the Coach Park or if there have been any delays to their journey on route, your Driver may have to take a break before collecting you, we always aim to be in the Coach Park before your flight is due to land and this should enable your Driver to take a statutory break, however if there have been traffic delays please understand that you may have to wait until their break is completed. Please call your Driver once you have collected your luggage and you will be advised how long it may be before you will be picked up, once you have gone through Passport Control and Customs please make your way to the group pick up area, this varies for each Terminal but the ground Staff will direct you. Heathrow Airport also operate a permit scheme similar to Gatwick Airport, your minibus or mini coach Driver must check in to the Coach lay over park and pay for a permit that will enable him or her to come down to your Terminal to collect you, the Coach Control Office decide when your minibus or mini coach Driver can leave the Coach Park to make their way down to your pick up area. Please be advised that your Driver is unable to “meet and greet” a group being picked up by minibus or mini coach, for Security reasons they are unable to leave the vehicle once in the arrivals pick up area – you must make your way to the vehicle, ground Staff in and around the Airport will advise where you should go to.
Passengers being collected by Taxi
Passengers who have arranged “meet and greet” – as you exit the Arrivals Hall your Driver should be waiting for you, they will hold up a board with your name on it – however if your Driver has been delayed please wait in the Arrivals Hall until they arrive or you have spoken to them to determine what time they expect to meet you.