Best airport transfer taxi tips

Many business organisations put significant effort into making sure that their overseas visitors are met promptly and efficiently at the airport upon arrival.

Strangely though, sometimes seemingly less effort is invested in making sure they get back to the airport in a smooth fashion to catch their return flight home. Keep in mind that if you are hoping to obtain business benefit as a result of their visit, avoiding traumas and glitches on that return airport trip is just as important as it is on the inbound journey.

So, here are a few top tips relating to business people going home after a hopefully successful visit.

1. On the day of their departure, don't set an overly-ambitious business schedule. Yes, every minute is precious in business but bundling them out of an important meeting at the last second followed by a manic dash to the airport to catch their flight is no way to ensure they are in the right state of mind when you say "goodbye".

2. Linked to the above, allow plenty of time for them to get to the airport and take qualified advice on that one. If you are using a professional luxury car hire company to do your airport transfers, they should be able to give you a latest departure time in order to ensure that your guest has a comfortable and not frantic travel journey to the airport followed by a relaxed check in.

3. Make sure that somebody who will be able to get them to their check-in desk or executive lounge accompanies them. This is particularly important if your visitor does not speak particularly good English. Don't simply dump them at the drop-off point at the airport terminal and 'hope' they somehow make it through OK. Some limo hire companies will be able to offer that service through their chauffeur.

4. If you have been providing translation services during their visit, make these available to them right up to the point where you cannot feasibly do so any longer - typically once they go through into departures or the executive lounge.

5. There is a long-established tradition in corporate business of the last night of a visit being used for entertaining purposes and there is nothing wrong with that. However, where it is feasible for you to do so, try to ensure that it doesn't go on until the early hours in situations where the flight is later the same morning. A surprising number of flights are missed because people actually oversleep following farewell celebrations the night before.

6. Avoid the temptation to engage in last-minute sightseeing on the way to the airport. If this is professionally planned in by a limousine hire company's chauffeur then fine because they will know all of the variables involved. If you are delivering your guest personally, be very cautious, as unexpected traffic delays might mean you'll regret your offer to show them "xyz as it's not far out of our way".

7. If possible, arrive at the airport in time for them to participate in a little last-minute shopping if they wish or simply to partake of some refreshment in the public areas. Some people find the slightly sterile and formal atmosphere in executive travel lounges to be a little off-putting and they may wish to spend as much time as they can in the open public areas prior to departure.

8. Check their flight is on time and don't abandon them to find their own amusement if long delays are predicted.

Finally, it's psychologically a good idea to make arrangements to call them when they get back to their normal place of work. An inquiry about their journey and to confirm that they got back safely always goes down well - even if it is usually totally unnecessary.