Flight Delayed? Handling Farmed-Out Airport Pickups
How dispatchers handle a flight-delayed airport pickup on a farmed-out limo job: flight numbers, free waiting terms, pickup time changes and fair driver pay.
Airport work is the backbone of most limo companies, and flight delays are the backbone of most airport headaches. A pickup booked for 16:05 becomes 17:30, then 18:10. Your own chauffeur grumbles and waits. A farmed-out chauffeur who doesn't know you might wonder whether the extra two hours will ever be paid.
The way you set up a farmed-out airport job decides how a delay plays out. Done well, a late flight is a non-event: the driver adjusts, the passenger is met, the extra time is paid through the platform. Done badly, it becomes three phone calls and an argument about waiting time. This guide covers the setup and the in-the-moment decisions for a flight-delayed airport pickup.
Set it up right before the flight leaves
Most delay problems are solved at posting time. When you farm out the job, give the driver what they need to manage a delay on their own:
- The flight number. Add it in the passenger section. For airport pickups, flight tracking helps the driver time their arrival, and the flight number is on their trip screen.
- The terminal. Use the terminal in the pickup address, not just the airport name.
- Free waiting included. Set how many minutes of waiting are included in the price. An airport job commonly includes more waiting than a hotel pickup, for example 60 minutes.
- The extra-hour rate. Set what each extra hour of waiting costs. Drivers see this before they accept, so nobody has to negotiate in the arrivals hall.
- Meet-and-greet requirements. Name sign, inside meeting point, help with bags: list them as requirements, and the driver confirms each one.
With those five fields filled in, the driver knows what a delay will mean for their pay before they say yes. That is what keeps a good chauffeur on the job when the arrival board turns red.
The flight is late: what happens next
When a delay appears, the driver can see it from the flight number, and you can check it on the airline's site or a public tracker such as FlightAware. Most airports also publish live arrivals, for example Toronto Pearson and Heathrow.
Then decide which situation you're in.
A short delay, inside the free waiting. Do nothing. The free waiting you set covers it. The driver waits, the passenger is met, the trip runs as booked.
A longer delay, beyond the free waiting. You have two sensible options. Either leave the pickup time as it is and let the extra waiting be charged at the agreed rate, or move the pickup time so the waiting clock starts later. Which is better depends on whether the driver is already at the airport.
A big delay or a new flight. Use Change pickup time on the job page. The driver sees the new time at once in the chat and on their trip screen, and the passenger gets a text. Our guide to changing pickup time after posting explains the details.
Moving a pickup later: check with the driver first
There is one rule to remember. If you move an accepted job to a later time, the driver may give it back without penalty. That is fair: a chauffeur who planned an evening around a 16:00 pickup may already have a 19:00 job.
So before you push a pickup back by hours, send a quick message in the trip chat: "Flight now landing 18:10, can you still do it?" If they can, change the time. If they can't, they can give the job back, it returns to the board automatically, and you can ask for a replacement driver from the job page. The steps are in our guide for when a chauffeur gives a job back.
Paying for the wait, fairly and on record
Waiting time on an airport job should never be a debate after the fact. On LimoFarmOut, it isn't:
- When the driver closes the trip, they enter the total minutes they waited.
- The charge is worked out from the extra-hour rate you set when posting.
- You approve it before it is paid, and it reaches the driver through the platform with the rest of their payout.
Parking and tolls work the same way. The driver adds them at the end, you approve, and they are paid. For a fuller picture from the driver's side, read how chauffeurs get paid for waiting time, tolls and extras.
If the passenger never appears and the driver is on location, a no-show pays the driver in full. That is another reason the On location status matters: it is recorded on the trip.
Keep the passenger calm
A delayed passenger has had a long day. The less they have to do, the better. When the driver is assigned, the passenger gets a text in your company's name with the chauffeur's first name, the vehicle and a live tracking link. If plans change, they can reach the chauffeur through a private trip number without either side seeing the other's real number.
You can follow the whole thing from your screen: En route, On location, Passenger on board, Completed. Our guide to tracking a farmed-out trip live shows what you see at each step.
A delay checklist for the dispatch desk
- Flight number and terminal on every airport job.
- Free waiting and extra-hour rate set before posting.
- Check the flight status before the driver leaves.
- Short delay: let the free waiting cover it.
- Long delay: message the driver in the chat, then change the pickup time.
- Approve waiting, parking and tolls promptly after the trip.
When the delay changes the whole trip
A missed connection often means a hotel night or a new flight. Our travel partner BookingWorldwide.net can search flights, hotels and resorts for your client.
Need a car at another airport?
If your client is landing somewhere you don't farm out regularly, you can book a chauffeur directly through the LimousineWorldwide.Directory member network.
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Frequently asked questions
What happens to a farmed-out airport pickup if the flight is delayed?
The driver can follow the flight from the flight number on the job. Short delays are covered by the free waiting you set; for longer ones, extra waiting is charged at your agreed rate or you change the pickup time.
How much free waiting should I include for an airport pickup?
It is your choice. Many posters include more waiting at airports than at hotels, for example 60 minutes, and set a rate for each extra hour.
Who pays for the extra waiting caused by a delay?
You, the poster. The driver enters the minutes waited when closing the trip, the charge uses the extra-hour rate you set, and you approve it before it is paid.
Can I move the pickup time when the flight is late?
Yes. Use Change pickup time on the job page. If you move an accepted job later, check with the driver in the chat first, because they may give it back without penalty.
What if the passenger doesn't show at all?
A passenger no-show with the driver on location pays the driver in full.
Post your next airport run with clear waiting terms: farm out the job here.
