Hiring Airport Shuttle Services: Pros and Cons

Posted on: 16 January 2017

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When travelling to the airport, it is essential to ensure the mode of transportation chosen guarantees not only a safe arrival but also a timely one so as not to miss your flight. Taxi services commonly get used for this purpose, but they occasionally encounter delays due to various reasons. It is for this reason that most travellers opt to use airport shuttle services because they guarantee timely arrival at the airport.

However, despite airport shuttles being an excellent choice of transport, they have their sets of pros and cons.

1. Cons of airport shuttles

 Longer duration of travel.

Though airport shuttles ensure a timely arrival at the airport, the duration of the destination to the airport is often long. The period of the trip takes longer because shuttle service providers tend to combine many travellers into one shuttle. Hence, the airport shuttle has to make various stops to pick up passengers before it heads for the airport, thus extending the duration of the trip.

They are not suitable for sudden trips

Unlike taxis, airport shuttles require getting booked early before the day you intend to fly. Hence, if you have to catch a sudden flight probably due to an emergency, a shuttle service will not be helpful.

2. Pros of using airport shuttles

Better comfort and convenience

As opposed to using a taxi where you have to direct the driver to and from various airport terminals, an airport shuttle driver already knows which terminal you need to alight at thus making it very convenient for a traveller. Additionally, airport shuttles are spacious, and they have reserved room for luggage unlike in a taxi where you have to squeeze into the back seat with the extra luggage that doesn't fit into the trunk.

Cost efficiency

When driving yourself to the airport, there are various costs that you will incur such as fuel costs as well as airport parking fees. Additionally, if you use a taxi where the driver charges a fee based on the time taken to travel to the airport, you may incur additional fees if the cab gets caught up in traffic. However, airport shuttles charge a fixed rate for the trip and hence, there are no additional costs incurred if you get stuck in traffic or airport parking fees.

Airport shuttle companies also offer discounts via coupons. It is advisable to inquire your preferred shuttle company as it could further reduce the cost you incur when travelling to the airport.