Chauffeur Drive FAQs
Sep 4, 2014, 11:04 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: FRA
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 732
Question on ex-FRA chauffeur service: Any way to have the car pick me up less than 3h before departure? I was unable to choose anything less than 3h online.
I live ~15min from FRA, I am booked in J, looking to arrive at airport no more than 1h before departure....
I live ~15min from FRA, I am booked in J, looking to arrive at airport no more than 1h before departure....
Sep 4, 2014, 11:13 am
#32
Moderator: Emirates Skywards and Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: 12R/30L
Programs: EK Gold|EY Gold|Bonvoy Ambassador| IHG Plat|HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,818
Call the local EK office and have them amend the PU time
Sep 4, 2014, 12:49 pm
#35
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BOM
Programs: EK Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 2,883
Sep 10, 2014, 9:08 pm
#36
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Upper Left Corner of the Map
Programs: AS MVPG & Board Room, Marriott Silver, Global Entry
Posts: 2,203
I'm on a J award ticket home with a DXB stopover on the way back from WAW. In looking at the reservation form on my record, I see that they require a phone number. Im staying at a hotel in Warsaw, so will use that number. However, in Dubai, I plan to use an Air BnB private apartment and won't have a phone, any suggestions short of getting my US phone unlocked and getting a UAE sim card before leaving?
Sep 10, 2014, 9:51 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2010
Location: BOM
Programs: EK Plat, HHonors Gold
Posts: 2,883
I'm on a J award ticket home with a DXB stopover on the way back from WAW. In looking at the reservation form on my record, I see that they require a phone number. Im staying at a hotel in Warsaw, so will use that number. However, in Dubai, I plan to use an Air BnB private apartment and won't have a phone, any suggestions short of getting my US phone unlocked and getting a UAE sim card before leaving?
Sep 16, 2014, 5:03 pm
#38
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: MVPG75k-Boardroom, Hilton Gold
Posts: 194
Based off of my experiences, you do get a phone call 24 hours prior to pickup. They pick you up in a standard East Coast "black cab" which could be anything from a Lincoln Town Car to a GMC Yukon.
I'd say a 6.30pm pick up time is enough time, since depending on the day you might hit traffic on the GW Bridge and again on the Van Wyck Highway.
I'd say a 6.30pm pick up time is enough time, since depending on the day you might hit traffic on the GW Bridge and again on the Van Wyck Highway.
He picked us up from a hotel right next to EWR at 7:15 am and we were at JFK by 8:15
Oct 1, 2014, 5:33 am
#39
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oxon, UK
Programs: Mucci des canapes, Skywards Gold, BAEC Gold, IC Plat Amb, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,950
'Qantas say no'
I have a trip coming up shortly:
LHR-CHC-BNE-LHR. All in EK F apart from CHC-BNE which is EK F to SYD and 2 hours later QF J to BNE. Did this itinerary in Feb and had chauffeur drive on arrival in BNE. Had a confirmed booking for CD on arrival in BNE this time but had to cancel and rebook as my hotel changed. Now had a phone call to say QF say I can't have CD as I'm coming off a domestic flight. MMB still shows I have a car booked but when opening the CD section that reservation has NO in the confirmed section.
(I would have preferred the CHC-AKL-BNE routing but the website won't book this as it struggles with the Jetstar NZ leg).
I have e-mailed EK with no joy as they have repeated that 'QF says no'.
Do the team feel that I am entitled to the car or is MMB wrong and I just hit lucky last time?
LHR-CHC-BNE-LHR. All in EK F apart from CHC-BNE which is EK F to SYD and 2 hours later QF J to BNE. Did this itinerary in Feb and had chauffeur drive on arrival in BNE. Had a confirmed booking for CD on arrival in BNE this time but had to cancel and rebook as my hotel changed. Now had a phone call to say QF say I can't have CD as I'm coming off a domestic flight. MMB still shows I have a car booked but when opening the CD section that reservation has NO in the confirmed section.
(I would have preferred the CHC-AKL-BNE routing but the website won't book this as it struggles with the Jetstar NZ leg).
I have e-mailed EK with no joy as they have repeated that 'QF says no'.
Do the team feel that I am entitled to the car or is MMB wrong and I just hit lucky last time?
Last edited by pomkiwi; Oct 1, 2014 at 2:40 pm
Oct 1, 2014, 9:09 am
#40
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,398
Tricky one, and I can see both sides to be honest.
On the one hand : this is hardly a cheap routing in F, with more than enough margin in it for EK to authorise the car, and of course still come out with a healthy profit - rather than stubbornly stand their ground.
But ......they will also be keen to apply the rule strictly and not create a precedent by allowing cars to be booked at either end (or, in your specific case, on arrival) of what is in truth a domestic-only sector, even if part of what is clearly a 'continuous' international booking. In fairness to both QF and EK, that was never the aim of the CD programme, and it has never been portrayed as such. Plus, it's worth remembering that EK don't provide CD at many points around the network where they don't consider it commercially viable/necessary.
In short, if this were me I think it would niggle somewhat ; but on balance I don't see it as something worth fighting over, and I would be inclined to let it go and cough up for a taxi.
On the one hand : this is hardly a cheap routing in F, with more than enough margin in it for EK to authorise the car, and of course still come out with a healthy profit - rather than stubbornly stand their ground.
But ......they will also be keen to apply the rule strictly and not create a precedent by allowing cars to be booked at either end (or, in your specific case, on arrival) of what is in truth a domestic-only sector, even if part of what is clearly a 'continuous' international booking. In fairness to both QF and EK, that was never the aim of the CD programme, and it has never been portrayed as such. Plus, it's worth remembering that EK don't provide CD at many points around the network where they don't consider it commercially viable/necessary.
In short, if this were me I think it would niggle somewhat ; but on balance I don't see it as something worth fighting over, and I would be inclined to let it go and cough up for a taxi.
Oct 1, 2014, 2:45 pm
#41
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oxon, UK
Programs: Mucci des canapes, Skywards Gold, BAEC Gold, IC Plat Amb, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,950
You are correct of course and I won't be fighting - the inconsistency is a bit annoying and the fact that MMB shows a car booked a little irritating 
When they phoned back tonight to confirm the 'no' I asked about the CHC-AKL-BNE routing and they quoted Ł1100 to change - the taxi looks a bargain
Booking has now gone but MMB is still telling me I'm eligible to book a car. Might just do so a few days before I travel.......
When they phoned back tonight to confirm the 'no' I asked about the CHC-AKL-BNE routing and they quoted Ł1100 to change - the taxi looks a bargain
Booking has now gone but MMB is still telling me I'm eligible to book a car. Might just do so a few days before I travel.......
Nov 25, 2014, 4:40 pm
#42
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Bay Area
Programs: HH, PC, SPG, MR, GP, US, UA, AA
Posts: 3,461
Chauffeur Drive to LAX
Will try CD for the first time next month, will the limo company call 1 day prior to confirm the booking? What happens if the driver fails to show up at arranged pickup time? TIA.
Nov 25, 2014, 7:05 pm
#43
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SYD (YSSY)
Programs: QF QP
Posts: 173
In my experience they will call 1 day prior. At that time ask them for a contact number "in case something goes wrong"
Nov 26, 2014, 3:13 am
#45
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Skywards Blue :-(, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold, GHA Platinum
Posts: 2,531
They don't call the day before at Dubai. When I land at Dubai and go to chauffeur Desk to get an EK car to the hotel , I confirm my return pick up as well.( Even though I have already done the booking for the car online at least 48 hrs before)