Group airport trips: a planning checklist

Getting one person to the airport is easy. Getting twelve people, their cases, a couple of golf bags and a pushchair there at the same time is a different job. We move groups to and from Manchester Airport most weeks, and the trips that go smoothly are the ones that were planned properly. This checklist covers what we ask and why.

1. Count everyone, including children

Start with the exact number of people travelling. Include babies and children. Every person needs a seat in the vehicle, and children who need car seats take up more room than adults.

If the number might change, book for the number you have now and tell us as soon as it changes. A vehicle that is one seat short on the day is a real problem.

2. Count the luggage properly

This is the part that goes wrong most often. People count suitcases and forget everything else. Make a list:

• large suitcases (checked bags)
• cabin bags and rucksacks
• pushchairs and travel cots
• golf bags, bikes, skis or sports kit
• anything else unusual, such as a wheelchair or musical instruments

As a rough guide, allow one large case and one small bag per passenger in most vehicles. If your group packs heavier than that, tell us. A group of eight with eight large cases and eight cabin bags fits an 8 seater minibus. A group of eight with sixteen cases does not.

3. Choose the right vehicle

Our booking form only shows vehicles that fit your passengers and luggage, but it helps to know the options:

• People carrier: five passengers with luggage.
• Executive people carrier (Mercedes V-Class or similar): a small group travelling in more comfort.
• 8 seater minibus: up to eight passengers with holiday luggage.
• 16 seater bus: larger groups, teams and parties.

For groups bigger than 16, or groups with a lot of luggage, we can send two or more vehicles. Sometimes two smaller vehicles are a better fit than one large one, for example if half the group is coming from a different town.

4. One pickup or several?

If everyone can meet at one address, that is the simplest and usually the cheapest option. Pick a house or a car park where the vehicle can stop safely and everyone can load their bags.

If people are spread out, we can do several pickups on the way, as stops on one journey. Each stop adds time and can add cost, so keep them to a sensible number and put them in a logical order. When you book, add each stop and we will price it.

Remember that a 16 seater bus is a big vehicle. Some residential streets, cul-de-sacs and private drives are hard to get into. If you are not sure, choose a meeting point on a main road.

5. Pick one organiser

Give us one person's name and mobile number as the lead contact. That person should know the plan, have everyone's numbers and be ready to answer the driver's call on the day. Too many people ringing with different information causes confusion.

6. Allow extra time

Groups take longer at every step: loading the vehicle, getting through bag drop and security, and getting out again. Add extra time to whatever you would allow for a couple. Early mornings in the school holidays are the busiest times at Manchester Airport, so plan for queues.

For the pickup itself, ask everyone to be at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before the booked time. One person running late holds up the whole group.

7. Passports and documents

Ask everyone to have their passport and boarding pass in hand luggage before they leave home, not in a case in the back of the bus. If you are organising a trip for others, such as a school or a club, check documents before you set off. Going back for a forgotten passport is a long trip.

8. Plan the return now

Book the return at the same time. Add the inbound flight number and we will follow the flight. For groups, we recommend meet & greet (£5). The driver waits in the arrivals hall with a name board, so the group can gather in one place before walking to the vehicle together.

If the group is coming back on different flights, book separate return journeys.

9. Behaviour on board

Most groups are a pleasure to drive. For stag and hen groups in particular, please remember that drivers can refuse passengers who are drunk or abusive, and that drinking in the vehicle isn't allowed. A good start to the trip makes the rest of it better for everyone.

10. Paying for a group

The price is for the vehicle, not per person, which often makes group travel good value. We take card only. The organiser pays online by card when booking. If you are splitting the cost, it is easiest for one person to pay and collect from the others.

Groups we often move

• families going on holiday together
• stag and hen weekends
• sports teams and clubs
• work teams going to conferences
• wedding parties flying abroad
• school and university groups

Common mistakes

• Forgetting to count babies and toddlers as passengers.
• Counting suitcases but not pushchairs, golf bags or sports kit.
• Choosing a meeting point a large bus can't reach.
• Booking the outbound trip but leaving the return until the last week.
• Giving the driver three different contact numbers.

All of these are easy to avoid if you plan a few weeks ahead.

Booking well ahead

Our minibuses are the vehicles most in demand in school holidays and on summer weekends. If your group is travelling at a busy time, book as soon as your flights are confirmed. It gives you the best chance of the vehicle you want at the time you want.

Book your group transfer

Enter the number of passengers and luggage, your pickup address and your flight. The booking form will show the vehicles that fit, with a fixed price for each. For larger or more complicated trips, call us on 0161 660 4006 and we will help you plan. Otherwise, book your group transfer online.