As a Private Hire Taxi driver based in the South of England, a lot of my business is made up of fares to and from London's Heathrow Airport. I thought I'd share some tips for meeting and greeting, as Airports can seem so daunting to the occasional visitor! Many BA long-haul flights arrive at Terminal 4, along with some European flights. It's my favourite Terminal to meet and greet at - at least it is at the moment, let's see whether T5 is easier still! T4 is only five to tem minutes from Junction 14 of the M25.
I'm assuming that you are driving to Heathrow, either to drop off or meet a friend or associate. As you approach the Terminal, unless you've prearranged to meet someone at the kerbside outside Arrivals, go UP the ramp! Stay left to drop off a passenger right outside the Check-In area, stay right to park. A good tip on entering the car park is to use a credit card at the entry barrier rather than pressing the button for a ticket - this saves time when you leave, no queuing at the ticket machine, and one less piece of paper to hold on to: just use the same card at the barrier on exit and it'll automatically give you a receipt. Warning - these machines will let you in with a Switch / Solo card, but they won't let you out again - to be sure, only use a Credit card for this operation! When you get into the Terminal 4 Short Stay car park, go down the ramp to the right and try and find a space. Once parked, the Terminal building is a short walk away. Both Arrivals and Departures/ Check-In are clearly signed.
On entering Terminal Four, one's first impression of Arrivals is one of Chaos! There are always crowds of people there; there are a lot of Jumbo jets disgorging at this terminal! Unless you know the person you're meeting, then join the crowd close to the centrally located exit doors and try to get to the barrier with a 'welcome' sign. The best thing is something distinctive and A4 sized - a logo maybe, but definitely something eye-catching and colourful. Make it easy on the person you're meeting - most signs have names and flight numbers on - make yours different! Stand somewhere prominent - where you'll be seen as soon as your passenger emerges through the sliding doors - although it's best to pre-arrange to meet under the 'meeting point' sign - this is to the right of the doors as your passenger exits - beware, they can turn right or left as they exit.
Always check the monitors when you enter the building - a good rule of thumb is that your passenger will come through T4 Arrivals about forty minutes to an hour after landing - but always watch the screen for the 'Baggage In Hall' message - this is usually a reliable indicator of their imminent emergence! Terminal Four Arrivals can be very variable - long haul planes are often early, and always have lots of passengers - I have known people to be through in less than half an hour, whilst last week I waited an hour and a half for someone coming from the Middle East! If you have a mobile phone contact number, then a quick call or SMS message can help keep track of your passenger to let them know where you are, and reassure them that you're there and waiting - takes away one more anxiety for the traveller. Once you've got your passenger, get out of there quick smart - the car park is expensive! Oh, and please drive carefully and considerately on the way home!
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