V-Flyer

Hi again everyone

We are thinking off booking a slot for the DTCI for our flight next month.
Has anyone used it in a taxi ?
I have asked our taxi company and they have told me that they have used it before, but your experiences would also be useful.

What happens if you are early or late and are outside your booked slot ? We are approx 40 mins from T3, but you never know what the traffic will be like on a Friday lunchtime, or how speedy the driver will be.

Any advice would be much appreciated y)

This thread about DTCI may help as it talked about folks using taxi's etc ...

I've not used DTCI myself (first time in April next year) but this was a good read.

DTCI

Hi L2H
I believe if you are using a black taxi you would need to call VS once you are in the Taxi to provide the Registration details and the name of the driver.
If you are using a CDC/airport taxi then the same applies if you have not managed to get all the required details in advance. I think that the more information you can provide in advance the better.
In terms of the slot, I understand that it is simply for them (DTCI staff) to be able to prepare boarding cards and luggage labels in anticipation of your arrival. Im sure if you are running late and called in to VS that they could let DTCI know.

I will be using DTCI later in the year

I used DTCI with a private taxi company, earlier in the month.

I called a few days before to reserve my slot.
On the day I called the DTCI number and confirmed the registration of the vehicle and my arrival time.

Traffic was bad so we were half an hour late, I didn't call to let them know (I'd fallen asleep ][|) ). This wasn't an issue though. They just said "finally got here!" when I arrived.

They won't mind if you're a bit late.

What is essential, though, is that you call at least half an hour before arrival with details of the car make, colour and registration as well as all the passengers' details. This is for security reasons. The instructions also say you need to give the driver's name but in practice they don't normally need it.

If the cab company can give you those details in advance, great - if not make sure you call the minute the car arrives to pick you up.

I always call with details of the taxi when on the way as the taxi company cannot provide details in advance

MoJoJo wrote:I always call with details of the taxi when on the way as the taxi company cannot provide details in advance

Im guessing though that it would be atleast more than 30mins prior to arrival at DTCI?

About that as I am 25 minutes from LHR without traffic.

Thanks all, very helpful as always

We phoned through the last time we used it as the M25 was so quiet we were 40 mins early.

How long before you arrive do you have to give the registration details of the taxi?

Nevil30 wrote:How long before you arrive do you have to give the registration details of the taxi?

I think no less than 30mins before.
I seem to recall joeyc saying he could arrange when he caught a taxi from earls court

Found an old email

"In order to comply with Department for Transport regulations we need to know the registration number, make, model and colour of the vehicle you’ll be arriving in no later than 30 minutes before your arrival time. Unfortunately, if you do not feel you will be able to provide these details within the time frame you will not be eligible to use this service."

gfonk wrote:

Nevil30 wrote:How long before you arrive do you have to give the registration details of the taxi?

I think no less than 30mins before.
I seem to recall joeyc saying he could arrange when he caught a taxi from earls court

Earls court wasn't me gfonk, but someone else did mention that. The last minute experience I recounted was by Black Cab from Terminal 1 (and I have also done it from terminal 5 ) Further rantings of mine here

As long as they know you are coming and that you will be calling as soon as you can with taxi details you should be fine - the 30minute thing is to discourage large numbers of pax doing it I would imagine. Remember to book your slot in the UC wing a few days beforehand and whilst on the phone ask for the wing's direct line so you can call with car details.

Hi L2H,

I have just booked my slot for the DTCI using http://www.airportscars.com who I have used previously, they contact you 24 hrs prior to pick up with the Drivers details if you need them which you can then pass on the the UCW.

Last time we arrived about twenty minutes early which wasn't a problem, any earlier however would have been as the UCW had only just opened for the day, maximum time in the CH ):

Enjoy

joeyc wrote:Earls court wasn't me gfonk, but someone else did mention that. The last minute experience I recounted was by Black Cab from Terminal 1 (and I have also done it from terminal 5 ) Further rantings of mine here

Ooops B) lol memory issues lol

joeyc wrote:As long as they know you are coming and that you will be calling as soon as you can with taxi details you should be fine - the 30minute thing is to discourage large numbers of pax doing it I would imagine. Remember to book your slot in the UC wing a few days beforehand and whilst on the phone ask for the wing's direct line so you can call with car details.

oh yeah thats right, I remember know.

We are staying at T4 and it would be nice to use the DTCI if we could

The 30 minute rule is actually a DFT rule. So is providing the name of all people in the car including the driver.

We used DTCI on Monday and VS didn't ask for names... They were provided though!

So unless VS have some special working for not following the rule, I'm not sure as to why they don't ask!