Airport transfer is a crowded market and the offers look similar until something goes wrong. Here is what actually distinguishes them.
Is the price genuinely fixed?
A fixed price should mean the number quoted is the number you pay, regardless of traffic, waiting time or forecourt charges. Ask specifically whether airport charges are included, because a low headline price with fees added afterwards is common. Metered and surge-priced options can work out cheaper off-peak and considerably more expensive at exactly the times you most need certainty.
Is the operator properly licensed?
In London, private hire operators are licensed by Transport for London. Every journey must be booked in advance through the operator, which is what creates a record of who is driving, which vehicle, and where the journey is going. If a vehicle offers a ride without a prior booking, that record does not exist.
Does the operator track flights?
Give the flight number at booking and check the operator uses it. Without flight tracking, a delayed landing means either a driver waiting on the meter or a driver who has left.
What happens with luggage?
Tell the operator the number of passengers and bags when booking rather than at the kerb. It determines the vehicle sent, and it is the most common cause of problems at pickup.
Meet and greet or car park?
For arrivals, ask where exactly you will meet the driver. Meeting inside the terminal with a name board is very different from being directed to a car park with your luggage after a long flight.
Our approach
Donegan Express Ltd is a local TfL licensed private hire operator covering Uxbridge, Hillingdon and the surrounding area, running journeys 24 hours a day with fixed prices agreed at booking and SMS confirmation. See our Heathrow page, or call 7am to 7pm for a fixed-price quote.