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Arrival day in Istanbul: how we meet you

Flight tracking, a sign with your name at the exit, help with luggage, and what to do if your phone has no signal: your arrival, step by step.

3-minute read

White London Taxi head-on with its headlights on; the edges of the other taxis show on either side

In short

Your flight number is all we need. We track your flight and wait at the exit in time for your landing, with a sign bearing your name. We help carry your suitcases to the car, and if your flight is late we wait, with no waiting charge. Even if your phone has no signal, your chauffeur is at the exit.

Before you fly: what to put in your request

A few details are enough for a smooth meet-⁠and-⁠greet. When you send your request through the form or on WhatsApp, include:

  • your flight number and arrival date
  • which airport you land at: Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
  • the name you would like on the sign
  • your hotel’s name and address
  • the number of passengers and suitcases
  • a wheelchair or any other need, if there is one

We write back with the availability and the exact price. We do not take card details on the website; payment is arranged when your booking is confirmed.

We track your flight

You do not need to send us your landing time. With your flight number we follow your flight and are at the exit in time for your landing. Passport control and baggage reclaim sometimes take a while; there is no need to rush, as your chauffeur waits for you at the exit.

If your flight is late, we wait, and there is no waiting charge for delays. If you change to a different flight, just send us the new flight number on WhatsApp. You can write in Turkish, English or Russian, at any hour of the day.

A sign with your name at the exit

After passport control and baggage reclaim, walk out through the arrivals exit. Your chauffeur is waiting there with a sign bearing your name. You choose, in your request, which name appears on it.

At a busy exit it can take a few seconds to spot your own name among all the others. There is no hurry: walk slowly along the line of people waiting and look at the signs.

You do not need to deal with anyone who approaches you at the exit offering a taxi or a transfer. The chauffeur meeting you is there with the sign bearing your name.

Your suitcases and the car

Your chauffeur helps carry your suitcases to the car. We meet you with a London Taxi: the suitcases go into a separate luggage area, and six people sit facing each other in the rear cabin, so the cabin stays free for passengers. If you would rather have a Mercedes V-⁠Class or S-⁠Class, just say so in your request.

If you use a wheelchair, the London Taxi’s ramp is lowered and the wheelchair boards directly. Just mention it in your request.

Two London Taxis, white and black, seen from behind, parked at the kerb beside autumn trees

If your phone has no signal

It is common to land without a signal: your SIM may not work abroad, roaming may be switched off, or you may not have a local SIM yet. Do not worry. Because we track your flight, your chauffeur is at the exit in time for your landing, whether or not you have sent a message.

A few steps still help:

  • before you fly, save our WhatsApp number in your phone and write it on paper too
  • the airports usually offer free Wi-⁠Fi; connecting takes a few minutes and sometimes a verification step
  • if you cannot see the sign straight away, do not walk away; stay in the arrivals area, where people wait to meet passengers
  • once you are on Wi-⁠Fi, message us on WhatsApp to say where you are

Have these at hand, then off you go

A few things are worth keeping at hand when you land:

  • your passport, and your visa if you need one
  • your hotel’s name and address, written down
  • our WhatsApp number, in your phone and on paper
  • a phone with enough charge

Once you are in the car, there is nothing left to do. Both airports are a long way from the centre and the time depends on traffic, so keep your check-⁠in time a little flexible. If you want to go anywhere else during your stay, the same team arranges chauffeured hire, city tours and tour packages.

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