Apparently it's much more difficult to get to the airport now

[Exterous]

For years we used Uber after the Detroit airport made a parking price hike and always had a car within a couple of minutes. We tried again last summer and couldn't find an Uber at all. Tried again the next time with no luck. So we scheduled a taxi. Well they over charged us and it was a huge hassle to get it fixed. Tried a more expensive option with a ton of positive reviews.

Well they no showed at 5am. No one answered the phone when we called either. Seriously what the heck is going on?

 

[IronWing]

For years we used Uber after the Detroit airport made a parking price hike and always had a car within a couple of minutes. We tried again last summer and couldn't find an Uber at all. Tried again the next time with no luck. So we scheduled a taxi. Well they over charged us and it was a huge hassle to get it fixed. Tried a more expensive option with a ton of positive reviews.

Well they no showed at 5am. No one answered the phone when we called either. Seriously what the heck is going on?

Call-as-needed drivers got fed up with being jerked around for low pay?

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Last trip on a plane from or to anywhere was DTW in '98. Back then it was no issue ... hit one of the lots on Merriman (or maybe it was Middlebelt), take the shuttle.

I haven't been on an airport property since then and hope never to be again.

 

[BudAshes]

For years we used Uber after the Detroit airport made a parking price hike and always had a car within a couple of minutes. We tried again last summer and couldn't find an Uber at all. Tried again the next time with no luck. So we scheduled a taxi. Well they over charged us and it was a huge hassle to get it fixed. Tried a more expensive option with a ton of positive reviews.

Well they no showed at 5am. No one answered the phone when we called either. Seriously what the heck is going on?

Uber still works for me it's just a lot more expensive. They let you schedule trips ahead of time and it's never been an issue for me.

 

[Exterous]

Uber still works for me it's just a lot more expensive. They let you schedule trips ahead of time and it's never been an issue for me.

We tried that. All it does is auto post the request for you slightly before your desired pickup time. You getting a ride still depends on someone being out right then

 

[Exterous]

Call-as-needed drivers got fed up with being jerked around for low pay?

I mean for both the taxis we scheduled weeks in advance

 

[Captante]

Step #1: Find an established local limo/car service with 24/7 live human dispatch. This service will cost more but is worth it.

Step #2: Reserve your car well in advance and leave enough time so that if something goes wrong the 24/7 human dispatcher has time to un-fvck you the day of your flight.

Bonus-points if you call the dispatch office to confirm the night before.

 

[Artorias]

You can get a fixed rate for an airport taxi which is much better than some random uber.

 

[Newbian]

A lot of airports don't allow uber pickups for various reasons like contracts with cab companies or security reasons.

Even then a lot of uber drivers would break the rule until police started doing "undercover" requests for ubers at those locations then give the people tickets.

 

[Exterous]

Step #1: Find an established local limo/car service with 24/7 live human dispatch. This service will cost more but is worth it.

Step #2: Reserve your car well in advance and leave enough time so that if something goes wrong the 24/7 human dispatcher has time to un-fvck you the day of your flight.

Bonus-points if you call the dispatch office to confirm the night before.

The no call no show was a taxi\car service established in 1998 and we called the day before to confirm

You can get a fixed rate for an airport taxi which is much better than some random uber.

Yeah except those two taxi\car services were fixed rate...

 

[brianmanahan]

Well they no showed at 5am. No one answered the phone when we called either. Seriously what the heck is going on?

nobody wants to work anymore

 

[stargazr]

I had a problem with Lyft not showing up once. Switched to Uber and never had an issue.

 

[brianmanahan]

Yeah except those two taxi\car services were fixed rate...

i've had a fixed rate taxi company charge me triple the quoted price in chicago, almost 100$ to go from the airport to a nearby hotel

we had 3 (big) guys and told them that beforehand, but they stuck us in the back of a tiny 90s car that the taxi driver wove through traffic at 80+ mph while playing around with his phone mounted on the dashboard

then we got to the hotel and he said "oh we went .2 miles outside of the range for the quoted price, new bill is 100$". it was within our allowed travel budget though so we didn't feel like fighting it.

the experience was so bad that we decided to try uber for the first time when leaving, and it was much better so i've used that ever since

but it's been 4 years since i last took a vacation, so things can change. airbnb also used to be cool when i last took a vacation, now it sounds like it charges fees out the wazoo.

 

[KMFJD]

Still a 3 hour drive for me worst part about travel for me

 

[nakedfrog]

The last couple times I've gone to SeaTac I've just sucked it up and paid for parking at one of the 3rd party lots that runs frequent shuttles, when I'm gone for a week it's only a little more expensive than paying for other transport so I go for the convenience.

 

[MrSquished]

Uber is about 15 bucks and a 20 min ride for me outside of rush hour.

Always have public trans as an option if traffic is bad.

No idea why an established company would fail so dramatically. Maybe just not adjusting to the new realities of business in today's day and age

 

[Red Squirrel]

Supposedly our taxi service has gone downhill too. And looks like they are moving to having to use an app as they disconnected their phone lines. I freaking hate that everything is going that route. I'm not downloading some stupid app that will probably spy on me, when I should be able to just call or go to a website. I use a custom rom so I couldn't even if I wanted to.

 

[FelixDeCat]

nobody wants to work anymore

I will work for tickles.

And Im feeling kind of ticklish.

 

[Captante]

The no call no show was a taxi\car service established in 1998 and we called the day before to confirm

Apparently they don't actually have 24/7 dispatch?

Obviously find another option for next time!

 

[Captante]

Supposedly our taxi service has gone downhill too. And looks like they are moving to having to use an app as they disconnected their phone lines. I freaking hate that everything is going that route.

Yeah.... app's can be scant comfort standing on the curb @ NYC LGA in the dark-a$$ freezing rain middle of the night. (and the terminal door just locked behind you!)

 

[K1052]

This was happening in Austin before we left. Defaulted to just parking there because of very few cabs and massive unreliability from Uber/Lyft.

We'll see how SAN does.

 

[Brainonska511]

Because of where I live now, I've just been taking public transit to Boston-Logan. Much less of a hassle than worrying if an Uber or Lyft will show up, and it only takes maybe an extra 15 min. The only time I'd really want to resort to a ride share app is either 1) coming home from a long business trip and I'll get reimbursed, or 2) early flight where public transit may not be running early enough to make it on time.

 

[Wreckem]

Rideshare is spotty pretty much everywhere that early in the morning.

With how far I live from the airports in Dallas it’s cheaper for me to do terminal parking for two weeks than do round trip rideshare. And since I cannot travel for more than 2 weeks at a time now we always end up parking.

 

[PlanetJosh]

So then Cloud 9 Shuttle/Transportation. Not really, idk, prob costs too much anyway. But their name sounds so cute.

 

[Captante]

I was a 3rd shift limo dispatcher for years and every driver with an early AM trip was absolutely required to call in a minimum of one hour prior to their pickup.

No contact by 55 min prior and the driver lost their AM "start". Essentially barring a literal act of God you were making your flight because I ran a tight fvcking ship. (app's are okay as a supplement but are no substitute for a live-human dispatcher)

Anyone can blow the occasional early AM trip (accidents, breakdowns etc) but the dispatcher failing to even pick up the phone is inexcusable and no "plan B" from them to get you to the airport is a dang good reason to find another car-service.