Heathrow is busy throughout the year, but travelling during the school holidays can make the journey less predictable.
More families are heading away, there is usually more luggage involved and the roads around the airport can be particularly busy at popular departure times. If you’re travelling with children, there is also more to organise than simply getting yourself to the terminal.
None of that means getting to Heathrow needs to be difficult. It does mean that some of the timings and arrangements you might use for a quieter journey aren’t necessarily the ones to rely on during the school holidays.
Allow more time for the journey to Heathrow
London traffic doesn’t suddenly become predictable because you’ve got a flight to catch.
During school holiday periods, additional airport traffic can combine with the usual problems caused by congestion, roadworks and incidents. The roads immediately around Heathrow can also become busy as large numbers of passengers arrive and leave at similar times.
Don’t plan your collection based on the quickest journey time you’ve ever had to Heathrow.
Your airline’s recommended arrival time should be the starting point. From there, work backwards and allow enough time to get to the airport without one slow section of traffic putting the entire journey under pressure.
This is particularly important for morning flights when your journey may overlap with London’s morning traffic.
Check which Heathrow terminal you’re actually using
Heathrow currently operates Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, and they’re not all in the same place.
It sounds like an obvious detail, but checking your terminal before you leave can prevent an unnecessary detour once you reach the airport.
Don’t rely entirely on which terminal you used the last time you travelled with the same airline either. Check the information provided for your particular flight and use that when arranging your Heathrow airport transfer.
It’s also worth checking again before leaving home in case anything has changed.
Think about luggage when choosing your vehicle
School holiday journeys often involve more luggage than an ordinary airport trip.
A couple travelling with hand luggage is very different from a family of four taking several suitcases, cabin bags and a pushchair.
Passenger numbers alone therefore don’t tell you which vehicle you need.
When booking, give an accurate idea of how many cases and larger items you’re bringing. If you’re travelling as a bigger family or group, arranging a larger vehicle in advance can avoid trying to squeeze passengers and luggage into a car that isn’t suitable.
Very early flights need planning too
Some Heathrow flights leave early enough that you’ll need to be on the road while most of London is still asleep.
The roads may be quieter at that time, but that doesn’t make it a journey to leave unplanned.
If you need collecting at 3am or 4am, arranging the taxi beforehand means the collection is already booked rather than leaving you to find an available vehicle in the middle of the night.
This becomes particularly useful during the school holidays when plenty of other families may also be heading for early departures.
Drop-off isn’t the end of the timing calculation
Getting to Heathrow is only one part of reaching your flight.
Once you’re at the terminal, you’ll still need to check in or drop off luggage if required, get through security and reach the correct gate.
Queues can vary considerably, so arriving with almost no margin because the roads happened to be clear isn’t worth the risk.
Check your airline’s advice before travelling. If Heathrow or your airline is warning passengers about particularly busy periods, take that into account rather than relying on how long the airport process took on a previous trip.
Coming home needs a little flexibility
The return transfer works differently because it’s much harder to predict exactly when you’ll be ready to leave Heathrow.
Your flight might be delayed. Passport control could take longer than expected. Your suitcases might appear almost immediately or leave you standing at the carousel for considerably longer.
That is why your flight number is important when arranging an airport collection with Abetta. It allows the arrival to be monitored if the flight time changes.
If your flight itself is simply delayed, that information can be accounted for. If something more significant changes, such as your airline moving you onto another flight, let the taxi company know because the original flight details will no longer be correct.
Give yourself an easier start to the holiday
Nobody wants the first part of a family holiday to involve watching the clock from the back of a car and wondering whether they’re going to make check-in.
Before travelling to Heathrow during the school holidays, check the terminal, look at your airline’s arrival guidance and make sure you’ve allowed realistically for the journey from London.
If you know your dates well in advance, there is little reason to leave the transport until the night before either. Booking your taxi in advance gives you time to arrange the right vehicle and provide the passenger, luggage and flight details before the holiday rush begins.
