Flights into Gatwick Airport rarely land exactly on schedule, so a taxi that’s only useful when your flight is on time isn’t much use at all. This page explains exactly how our flight monitoring and free waiting time policy work, so you know what to expect before you land.
How Flight Monitoring Works
When you provide your flight number at booking, we track it in real time from departure through to landing. If your flight is early, delayed, or diverted, your driver’s pickup time adjusts automatically — you don’t need to call and rearrange anything, and your fixed price doesn’t change because of a delay outside your control.
Free Waiting Time: Airport Pickups
For pickups from Gatwick’s North Terminal and South Terminal, your driver waits one hour free of charge after your flight has landed, to allow for immigration, baggage reclaim and getting through the terminal to the meeting point. This is built into every fixed-price airport transfer as standard — it isn’t an add-on you need to request.
Free Waiting Time: Home & Local Pickups
For journeys starting away from the airport — a home, hotel or office pickup on the way to Gatwick — your driver waits ten minutes free of charge at the pickup point. This covers the everyday reality of getting a household or group out of the door on time without penalising you for a few minutes’ delay.
What If My Flight Is Delayed by Hours, Not Minutes
Because we’re tracking your flight rather than working from the original schedule, a delay of one hour or several makes no difference to your booking — your driver is simply scheduled to arrive based on the updated landing time, and the free waiting-time allowance still applies once you’ve actually landed. You don’t need to contact us to tell us about a delay picked up by flight tracking, though you’re always welcome to call +44 7575 470883 if you want to confirm.
What If My Flight Is Cancelled or Diverted
If your flight is cancelled outright or diverted to a different airport, get in touch as early as possible so we can either cancel or rebook your transfer — a cancelled flight isn’t something our automatic tracking can rebook on your behalf, since it may mean a completely different pickup location or date.
Tips for a Smoother Pickup After Landing
- Keep your phone on and reachable — your driver’s contact details are sent ahead of your flight so you can message them directly once you land.
- Head to the agreed meeting point as soon as you’re through baggage reclaim rather than waiting to “look for the driver” from inside the terminal.
- If you’re delayed well beyond the free waiting-time window for reasons unrelated to the flight itself (a very slow bag, for example), a quick message to your driver helps them manage other jobs either side of yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get charged if my flight lands late?
No. Your price is fixed at booking and doesn’t change because your flight landed later than scheduled — that’s exactly what the flight-tracking and free waiting-time policy is designed to cover.
What counts as “landed” for the one-hour waiting clock?
The one hour is measured from your flight’s actual touchdown time, not your original scheduled arrival time, giving you a genuine hour from the moment your plane is on the ground.
Is there a limit to how late a flight can be before it affects my booking?
Flight monitoring handles the great majority of delays automatically. For an unusually long delay (several hours or more) or an overnight diversion, it’s worth a quick call on +44 7575 470883 so we can confirm your driver is still scheduled correctly.
Does the free waiting time apply to home pickups too?
Yes, home and local pickups carry a ten-minute free waiting allowance, separate from the one-hour airport allowance.
Do I need to tell you my flight number for this to work?
Yes — flight tracking only works if we have your flight number, so make sure it’s entered at booking or sent to us ahead of travel if you book without it initially. You can add it any time via our booking and contact page.
Book with Confidence
Flight delays are one of the most common worries when booking airport transport in advance. Our flight-tracking and free waiting-time policy exists specifically so a late landing doesn’t turn into an extra charge or a missed pickup — see our main Gatwick Airport taxi page for full details on fixed pricing and vehicle options.
How Flight Tracking Works
Once you’ve given us your flight number, we monitor it from take-off. If your flight lands early, your driver adjusts their arrival; if it’s delayed, the pickup time moves back automatically — you don’t need to call or message us to update it in either case.
Free Waiting Time Explained
A period of free waiting time is included after your flight lands, covering the normal time it takes to clear immigration, collect luggage and reach the pickup point. If you’re held up longer than that — by a long immigration queue, for example — let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate it.
What Happens With a Long Delay
For a significant delay (several hours or an overnight delay), contact us as soon as you know so we can rearrange your driver for the new time rather than relying on flight tracking alone.
Related Gatwick Guides
- Gatwick Airport Taxi Guide
- Gatwick Airport Taxi — How to Book & Contact Us
- Are Gatwick Airport Taxis Licensed & Safe?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to tell you if my flight is delayed?
Not for automatic tracking — we monitor the flight number you provide and adjust the pickup ourselves. For very long delays, a message from you helps us confirm the new plan.
How much free waiting time is included?
Enough to cover the normal time to clear immigration and collect luggage after landing — contact us for the exact current allowance.
What if my flight is cancelled?
Let us know as soon as possible so we can cancel or rearrange the booking for your new travel date.
Does flight tracking cost extra?
No, flight tracking is included as standard on every airport pickup booking.