I meet the Qatar Airways flights from Doha, here's what I'd tell you
You'll most likely be on Qatar Airways into Heathrow Terminal 4, about seven hours from Doha, with British Airways coming into Terminal 5 alongside. Many of you take the overnight and land for a London morning. I'll be past customs at the rail, board up, and I'll have followed the flight since it left the Gulf. If it's late, I'm late with it. You don't pay for that.
The flights, plainly
Small things worth knowing
- London is two hours behind Doha in summer, so the overnight flight lands you here in good time for the morning.
- Fares are fixed and I'll quote them in riyals or pounds. No cash needed, ever.
- Qatari passport? You'll need a UK ETA now, £20 on the official app, usually approved in a day. Do it before the airport.
How you'll find me
Qatar Airways comes into Heathrow Terminal 4, and that's where I'll be, at the barrier the moment you clear the green channel, your name on a board, and I take the cases from there. On British Airways you'll come into Terminal 5 instead, and I'll be in that hall the same way. I'll have your flight on my phone from the time it leaves the Gulf.
How the fare works
The fare is fixed before you fly and it stays fixed: not for a late flight, not for the drive into town, not for the time I spend waiting airside. I'll quote it in riyals or pounds once you tell me the flight and where you're staying. Card or account, no cash, nothing to sort out in the car.
What Doha clients actually book me for
Often the summer, when families come to leave the Gulf heat and want the same car and driver for weeks. Beyond that: business kept to the diary, Harley Street appointments you'd rather not discuss, the Knightsbridge and Bond Street runs with the boot filling up (it always does), and in September the drive to school or to Oxford with the trunks. Tell me which and I'll shape it around you.
Before you book
Which terminal will I come into?
Qatar Airways lands at Heathrow Terminal 4, British Airways at Terminal 5. Tell me the flight and I'll be at the right barrier, name board up, before you reach the doors.
Can I keep the same driver for the whole stay?
Yes, and Gulf families often do over the summer. One driver who learns the school run, the clinic times and the way you like the day to go. Say so when you book and I'll hold it.
What if the flight lands early or late?
I watch it from wheels-up in Doha. Early or late, I'm at the rail when you clear customs, and the fixed fare covers any wait, so the timing costs you nothing.
What car will I get, and how much luggage fits?
A Mercedes S-Class carries three and their cases; the V-Class takes up to seven with room for the bags. For a family over for the summer that's usually the V-Class or a pair of cars. Tell me the numbers and I'll get it right.