Travel Agents and Tour Operators Need to get Ready for Major Transfer Headaches this Summer at Main European Airports

May 29th, 2024 – Higher than-ever passenger numbers and under-resourced teams across the travel chain will inevitably mean airport transfers are likely to see spikes in complaints and incidents. But best-practice technology and operations processes are key to resolving this, and not necessarily more manpower. Servantrip issues a list of seven key challenges that trade buyers – including travel agents and tour operators – need to look out for when booking airport transfers for clients.

 

Last year the four major European airports — Heathrow (London), Charles de Gaulle (Paris), Schiphol (Amsterdam), and Madrid Barajas (Spain) — handled approximately 268 million passengers, and this year is predicted to be yet another record breaker.

 

Such high concentrations of passengers along with chronically under-resourced teams at those airports due to labor shortages (even strikes) is very likely to lead to disruption for airport transfers warns Servantrip, the world’s leading B2B transfers platform.

 

For travel agents and tour operators – or indeed other trade sellers – offering transfers this could represent a real operations headache during what will already be one of the busiest summers possibly ever.

 

Manuel Núñez, CEO of Servantrip, comments: “Many leisure travellers expect travel agents and other distributors to organize the transfer for them as part of the trip. By planning ahead travelers can ensure a smooth and efficient private transfer experience at major European airports and avoid waiting times, stress, and bad experiences at the destination.”

 

“When it comes to handling peak transfer periods – as we’ll inevitably see this summer – not only is a large fleet needed to support the demand, but also better operations technology and processes that anticipate well-known challenges to keep problems to a minimum”.

 

To help solve the several complexities associated with providing private transfer services, Servantrip has identified seven key challenges that B2B buyers need to watch out for when taking bookings.

 

Flight delays: real-time flight tracking is essential to ensure timely adjustments in chauffeur schedules. By providing the flight number, the travel operator can ensure a successful service delivery in over 90% of cases.

 

Meeting points: clear communication with passengers about designated meeting points within the airport is essential. Airports can be confusing, so a “meet and greet service” holds significant importance.

 

Custom queues: airports often experience high traffic volumes, particularly during the summer season and peak hours. The long queues at customs that travelers encounter upon landing in some airports can be a nightmare. Therefore, managing ‘buffer times’ is important to ensure that despite delays at customs, the driver will be waiting.

 

Car luggage storage: ensuring that the vehicle has sufficient space to accommodate all passenger luggage comfortably is crucial. In summer, passengers often carry more luggage, and trunk capacity can be limited. Buyers should provide details on the total number of luggage items, and if necessary, book a larger car to avoid problems at the destination.

 

Traveler contact details: during the summer season, the arrival halls of major airports are full of people. To ensure a quick meeting with the driver, it’s important to provide the traveler’s mobile number, allowing the traveler and driver to stay in contact. If the traveler doesn’t want to use roaming, the airport WiFi is often available for free.

 

Child seats: For families traveling with kids, this presents a significant concern. Travelers must consider that each country has its own regulations regarding child safety seats, and the age at which their use is mandatory varies accordingly. Additionally, many drivers may not provide child seats due to the space they occupy in the trunk. Therefore, it’s essential for buyers to reserve this service through the booking platform and understand the limitations regarding available car categories.

 

Scalability and demand management: Efficiently allocating chauffeurs and vehicles to meet fluctuating demand levels throughout the day and year, particularly during peak seasons like summer, demands scalable resources. This underscores the importance of booking with top-tier suppliers equipped with extensive fleets, ensuring consistent service delivery even amidst high travel volumes.

 

Nicolas de Fleurieu, Director Market Management Southern Territory from global ground transportation provider SixtRide – partner of Servantrip – also recommends “maintain regular contact with airport management to stay informed of any changes regarding processes at the terminals, however small they might seem they can have a massive impact if you’re not prepared for them.” Additionally, it is key to address on a network of professional, experienced drivers supervised by locally-based ride teams to deliver a seamless ride experience.”

 

Meanwhile Angelique Coelho, AMS Destination manager at global ground transportation provider Transferz – another partner of Servantrip – suggests that “at certain airports, such as Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, it can take as long as 45 minutes to collect the baggage during peak period so this needs to be taken into account for what time you book the driver to be ready from. We recommend scheduling your pick-up accordingly to ensure a smooth and timely transfer.”