I don’t think it’s as rigid as that. I’ve had the S-Class as a Plat in F at SIN, and equally have had E-class and random Toyotas. There’s much greater fluidity and less consistency at outstations than at DXB.

Yes, I agree - the hard rule is usually S for IOs and an E/V-Class (and other approved vehicles abroad depending on each market) for F/J passengers as far as I am aware at least for Blacklane operated stations.

I think they are guidelines, rather than hard rules. Even at DXB it’s not 100% consistent.

How to I connect with driver in a big train station?
 

Hello, 1st time on the forum/thread/wiki and first time in Emirates 1st...
Anyway flying MXP-JFK later this week (Saturday the 24th) and have the CD pickup location for the CD set to Milano Centrale station as that's where we will be arriving.
But I don't have a clue where to meet up with the driver. I assumed they would text or email closer to departure date but so far have not seen anything. Searched the Emirates FT forum but couldn't find what I was looking for. Also scoured the Emirates website but no luck there either.. although I have been known to totally missing info right in front of me.
Thanks in advance.

My advice would be change the pickup to the Hilton Milan which is just across the street from the station (or any of the hotels in that area).
The driver will outside to hotel, so it is much easier for you to find him.

Your confirmation email will state where to meet the CHFR at Milano Centrale.
The Chauffeur will also have a pick-up sign to easily locate him/her at the pick up location.
I would also provide your train number in your booking request or via chatting with Blacklane as Chauffeur will wait up to an hour from a train station / airport compared to 15 minutes from a regular street address. This way, he/she will be able to track your train and wait if it's delayed.

I was about to suggest the same thing. I have been picked up outside the Hilton without problem.

After it took me 30 minutes to locate a driver outside of Kiel bahnhof in 2017, I will never again use a railway station as a pickup location. It's a nightmare!

Although it looks like there have been some changes in the last 5 years that make it less of a gamble.

Just flown J from MRU to MAN via DXB, landed at MAN, clipboard woman told myself and another passenger to stand to one side and our drivers would be with us shortly. All the other passengers rolled up got the usual suited and booted drivers who were waiting in the terminal building for them and escorted to cars, after 10 minutes of waiting I asked would it be much longer. She said " A lot of bookings so we're using an affiliate company and just waiting for them" short time later someone from Tristar/Addison Lee escorted me to the public taxi rank where my bag was placed in a private hire taxi firms Toyota Corolla and only when challenged did the Tristar rep say yeah sorry not enough vehicles and blamed Emirates.

The most aggravating thing was that there was no up front apology or explanation of exactly what was going to happen, that there was no executive driver or high standard car. they were all behaving everything was normal, I can only presume in some sort of blind hope that I would not raise a stink when I was confronted with the Toyota Corolla in the taxi rank.

From the Tristar Email:

I wonder how they selected the passengers who got this ‘special treatment’. J vs F would be a factor. Have you got any status? Did you book the car at the same time as booking the flight or at the last moment? As you are normally supposed to book your CD 48 hours before departure (is that still the case?), the airline should have sufficient notice of the number of cars required.

Silver - 5K tier miles out from Gold. Car booked same day flights were which was weeks ago, got the Tristar email with the E Class line 48 hours before departure.

The private hire company that Tristar used is Street Cars which is the official private hire company based at MAN also has an executive car line, but the standard cars from the taxi rank appeared to have been used.

Do they still have the large vans at DXB?
2 of us traveling in F. Will probably have 2-3 large checked bags and a carry on each.
Probably wouldn’t fit in one S class.
I guess worst case we can just get 2 cars, but I do remember having a Mercedes van a few years ago.

Given that your arrival was into MAN, I wonder could this be one and the same ‘Street Cars’ which has featured (so I am told….:D ) for many years as the local taxi operator in TV’s long-running Coronation Street ……

PS my sister happened to use Emirates CD service last week, with pick-up from a Windsor hotel. I was there at the time (although not travelling myself) and was a little surprised to see that the car which turned up was a tad scruffy and in need of a good wash. That said, it was a spacious Merc E class, and the driver was most courteous.

They do still have the vans. Not as many as they used to, but i have never had a problem getting one when travelling as a couple with extra luggage.
We always book the 2 cars just in case a van isnt available. When you get to CD arrivals checkin area just ask if a van is available and if so you can scrap the second car.

Just arrived in DXB and got an iO car instead of an F car, as a gold in F. It was an S Class.
Nice surprise, but I didn’t notice much of a difference on the inside between the F S class and iO S class. Didn’t iO’s used to have 7 series?

Only reason I got it was because there weren’t any F cars available I guess.

Out of interest, how did you know it was an iO car?