we have used the same airport taxi for 5 years, last time we let our friend's dad who's a taxi driver take us for a knock down price, unfortunately he arrived in his rover to avoid being caught doing a back hander job in the officially painted taxi-
we had to listen to dire strates on a loop for over an hour to the airport, there was an air freshener swinging behind my head that smelt putrid and was only there to hide the smell of 'dirty dawwwg' (the hairs from which ended up all over my new monsoon silk tunic and totally ruined my airport chic air of sophistication) and to top it all he swung the wrong way on the roundabout at the airport and took us into the freight terminal unfortunately our tickets were with thomas cook, not FED-EX (although in terms of passanger comfort they are probably on a par with one another ) this wrong turn resulted in a further 10 minute treck back down to the previous junction and another 10 minutes to the right turn off...whilst 'money for nothing' boomed out of the box shelf speakers (-never a truer word spoken by that point in the journey...)
by the time we had checked in i was literally bolting it, road runner style for a glass of chardonnay in departures, and i didnt even flinch when it cost me £4.80...

needless to say we will be booking our usual cab come september...

^ I know I shouldn't laugh but your story made me giggle a little.

When we were going to Vegas for our wedding my dad specifically booked a 6 seater black taxi for 2.30am (We like to be there long before we need to just incase lol)

So at 2.25am on a very rainy November morning a very old looking 5 seater black taxi turned up. He said he would try and squezze everything in.

5 suitcases, 5 hand luggage, a wedding dress, a handbag and a partridge in a pear tree later of course we didn't fit in.

The driver had to radio on for another taxi, luckily it came right away.

Think the 5 seater driver was chancing his luck for an airport fair.

Helen

We go via our neighbour who's a mini bus taxi driver. Costs something like £20. But its more complicated to pick up from Manchester airport, so to save faffing we get a black cab outside arrivals. it cost something like £25, it grieves me though because we live in Reddish in Stockport, its most likely about 7 miles from our house. Yet you get better deals if you live further.

its all part of the holiday though isnt it.

Bev