Airport Guide for PCO drivers

The airport run is one of the best ways to make money as a PCO driver. Holiday makers and businessmen and women will keep you busy during these runs. HireBrid has put this little section together for PCO drivers so that it is easier.

Heathrow Airport

The busiest and most popular airport for PCO drivers is Heathrow. It has the Authorised Vehicle Area (AVA) specifically for private hire vehicles and licensed taxis.

It is open from 5am to 11pm every day. You must wait here to be allocated a booking. Once you have confirmed a booking, head to the short-stay car park at the appropriate terminal. Then go and meet the customer from the designated meeting point.

AVA Parking Fee – £1 for every hour, up to five hours.

Short Term Parking Fee – £3.80

Best Time to Pick-Up – Monday to Saturday between 9am and 11.30pm and 8pm to 11.30pm on Sundays

Meeting Points:

Short-stay 2- level 1 Row Q for Terminal 2

Short-stay 3 – level 3, row A for terminal 3

Short-stay 4 – level 1 – Central Lift Area for terminal 4

Short-stay 5 – level 1, row A+F for terminal 5

Luton Airport

There are two waiting areas outside Luton airport – the car park at Asda or the car park on Gypsy Lane. Both are free. Once a booking is confirmed go into Luton airport and park in the Priority Pick-Up Zone.

Priority Pick-Up Zone Fee – £3.00

Waiting Time – 10 minutes – Warning!! After 10-minutes it is a £1 a minute

Best Time to Pick-Up – Between 8pm and 1am weekdays and at the weekend

Drop Off – Priority Drop-Off Zone – Fee £3 for 10 minutes

Gatwick Airport

Wait at the High Street Car Park in Horley. If the Uber spaces are full, leave the car park and wait for space to become available. When you have a booking go to the short-stay car parks in the North or South terminal. Park and go to the meeting point to wait for your customer. The meeting point in the North terminal is car park 5, level 3, row B. In the South terminal, it is in the Orange Park, level 3, row B.

Short-Stay Parking Fee – £3.00

Waiting Time – 30 minutes

Best Time to Pick-Up – 8pm to 2am during the week and Saturdays. 7pm until 3am on a Sunday

Drop-Off – Departures Forecourt at appropriate terminal. No charge

City Airport

Queue in the Gallions Reach car park at Tesco, which is free. When you have a booking go the City airport’s short-stay car park. Then, go and meet the customer yourself at the car park entrance.

Short-Stay Parking Fee – £3.00

Waiting Time – 10 minutes

Best Time to Pick-Up – Check the arrivals board online

Drop-Off – Free from the Departure Zone

Stansted Airport

There are three parking areas for you to wait in at Stansted. Two are free and these are at The Birchanger Green Service Station or the Mid-Stay Parking. The third parking area is close to McDonalds, where you’ll have to pay the minimum payment for one hour.

Once you have a booking, go to the short-stay Green Zone. Park and then go and meet your customer at the arrivals hall in the terminal

Green Zone Parking Fee – £3.60

Waiting Tine – 30 minutes

Best Time to Pick-Up – 8pm until 2am Mondays to Saturdays and 7pm to 3am on a Sunday

Drop Off – Express Let-Down – Fee £3.00 for 10 minutes

The FIFO Zone

The FIFO zone is your virtual queuing system. You won’t get a booking unless you are in the queue, which is first come, first served. Your number in the queue will show up on your app. Be careful though, if you go offline or drive outside the zone, you’ll lose your place in the queue. If you have a booking and then it gets cancelled, you’ll get the next customer. If you cancel you’ll go back 25 spaces.

Drivers need to wait for a booking in a designated area outside the airport. Then, when a booking is confirmed, drive into the airport and park in the short-stay car parks. If your customer doesn’t turn up within 30 minutes, leave the car park. You will only get 30 minutes parking paid by Uber, after that it will be down to you.