Airport transfer company Dot2Dot today (11 February) started services from business addresses at Canary Wharf to Heathrow Airport.
It is the first time customers using the service can be picked up from and dropped off at work - until now, transfers were only available from central London hotels. Residential addresses are also accepted, plus hotels.
”The research we carried out prior to launching Dot2Dot showed that there was a strong demand amongst the business community for an inexpensive, convenient and comfortable way to travel to the airport,” said Dot2Dot managing director, Paul Whitfield. ”In addition, there was a preference towards being environmentally responsible and we are providing a service that will reach all these criteria.”
The company also indicates that it aims to extend this ”all addresses” policy to its services from central London later this year, from where it offers transfers to Gatwick as well as Heathrow.
A spokesman told ABTN: ”We”re currently working on a 1 March launch ” we”re hoping ” because people keep asking us when we”re doing it and the feedback is that customers want it.
”We”re in the process of expanding the fleet. We have an additional 26 vehicles on order, increasing our total from 70 to 86 by May [some are being replaced]. We use a mixed fleet of Volkswagen Crafters and Mercedes Sprinters ” all the new orders are Sprinters ” and all have between 10 and 12 seats.”
The vehicles are customised and furnished with leather seats offering a generous pitch and legroom. All will be equipped with Wi-Fi internet connection by the end of the year.
To shave journey times, the fleet is able to use city bus lanes to avoid congestion, while every vehicle receives live traffic data to help avoid any disruption.
Prices are ”25 ($48.50) per person each way ” ”less than half the price of a black cab” says the company - with significant discounts for groups.
The company is offering a 20% discount on bookings made before 31 March ” and travel before 1 November - for the Canary Wharf service.
”Obviously as there are 95,000 people that work there, the corporate market is very important, but it”s really a service for everyone from Canary Wharf,” said the spokesman.