JSYOLI

Hi All,

Come from the Dark side (BA) and wanted to know about chauffeur etiquette given this is a foreign service for BA flyer...

Previously flown with Emirates last year in First to Bali and had an excellent trip and surprised at the level of service along with the chauffeur car service.

When we previously travelled with my other half the chauffeur struggled to get both our bags in the car, he resorted to placing the 2nd bag on the front seat. Given there is two of us flying and getting picked up from London central headed to Gatwick on the 29th. Is this frowned upon to order 2 cars?

Thanks in Advance.

dwugson

Although you're entitled to a car for each of you, let them know ahead of time the amount of luggage you have and they should send a car/SUV large enough to accomodate you both together with your luggage.

pomkiwi

My experience in the UK of several trips with two of us travelling with one medium case each and one piece of hand luggage is that half the time they send a saloon and half the time a van. If its a saloon they almost always have to put one case in the front seat (it is ridiculous how small the trunk is in a large Mercedes), if it is a van the ride is often not very comfortable. Why don't they just use estate cars - lots of space for luggage and a comfortable ride?

Dambus

AceCobra1

Whats the etiquette with this service? Are we expected to tip the drivers or anything ?

ft101

No. Unless they provide some additional service such as waiting around to give a friend a lift as they did for me in CPT.

skywardhunter

20% of what the service cost you is generally accepted, same as with lounge food and drinks

EYrevanchist

Blacklane

AceCobra1

Ic - What if the service which in this case is "free" ? lol... I have never tipped what I have already paid for but of course, if they are excellent, I might do that... a taxi from GLA to EDI is I think about £50 - so I guess if I wanted to tip, a £10 tip is reasonable ?

skywardhunter

The cost to you (setting aside what is built into ticket price) is 0. You tip 20% of that

wcel

I hate tipping but I tipped 35% of the 'cost to me' last time. He did take us from North Aberdeenshire to Glasgow though

DYKWIA

35% of £0.00 = £0.00

thijsseh

I am not a great tipper in general (although I try to follow the 'convention' in the place I'm in). But I do generally give a tip to the driver in London (LHR or LGW) who drives me up to the limit of the free mileage distance (about 68 miles from my place in Canterbury to Gatwick). And the same in CPT (although its a half hour drive compared to an hour and a half in London). They have never given me the impression that they expected a tip and were very grateful receiving it.
On the other hand, I did not tip the driver who took me the less than 10 minutes to the Le Meridian at DXB as part of the STPC / DC service. He spent these 10 minutes complaining how expensive Dubai was and what it cost him to travel to his home in Pakistan. He was visibly upset when I did not tip. His behaviour was like begging and far from courteous. And stressed the fact that we had gotten an F car (Mercedes S class) whilst we (in J) should have had a BMW. With me there is a strong link between the quality of service given and the tip (although admittedly I would most likely not have tipped him in any case for a 10 minute drive)

larzy1977

Do i still get the J vehicle after miles upgrade from J to F?

skywardhunter

Where? There's not really a distinction except at DXB (but even then not always) and I'd imagine at DXB you'd get the F vehicle if available