Last year, the major European airports handled about 268 million pax, and this year is expected to break that record. However, according to Servantrip, the high number of pax and labour shortages at the airports may lead to disruptions in airport transfers.
Offering transfers represents a real operations headache for travel advisors and tour operators in what is predicted to be one of the busiest summers on record.
"Many leisure travellers expect travel agents and other distributors to organize the transfer for them as part of the trip,” said Manuel Núñez, CEO of Servantrip, a B2B transfers platform. “By planning ahead travellers 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."
Servantrip 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 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" is significant.
- Custom queues: airports often experience high traffic volumes, particularly during the summer season and peak hours. The long queues at customs that travellers 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: It is crucial to ensure the vehicle has sufficient space to comfortably accommodate all passenger luggage. 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. Providing the traveller's mobile number is important to ensure a quick meeting with the driver. This allows the traveller and driver to stay in contact. The airport WiFi is often free if the traveller wants to use something other than roaming.
- Child seats: This presents a significant concern for families travelling with kids. Travellers must consider that each country has 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, buyers need 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 of market management Southern Territory from global ground transportation provider SixtRide, also recommends that pax "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."
“At certain airports, such as Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, it can take as long as 45 minutes to collect the baggage during peak periods, so this needs to be taken into account for what time you book the driver to be ready,” added Angelique Coelho, AMS Destination manager at global ground transportation provider Transferz. “We recommend scheduling your pick-up accordingly to ensure a smooth and timely transfer."
