[Tip #5] – Airport Transfers – Don’t get taken for a ride

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You’ve  finally landed – and then been violated by a customs machine…..what’s next?

You run the Timeshare Gauntlet……and then push through the airport doors out into that warm, humid vacation air….

Damn…..I love that…..

The next thing you realize is that you are staring into a sea of faces all waving signs.

What do you do?

The DO’s and DON’T’s

First, the Don’ts:

  • DON’T – worry if your flight was delayed – Transfer companies monitor all flights and will know about your delay – and adjust their schedule to your new arrival time.

Now, the DO’s:

  • DO – bring a printout of your transfer confirmation.
  • If your flight was cancelled, DO – contact your Transfer company – they need your new flight number.**
  • DO – reconfirm your RETURN transfer to the airport the day BEFORE you leave – the best way to do this is through the Transfer Company’s on-site representative (most all inclusive resorts have an area in or near the lobby where the transfer and tour companies have desks setup) BUT they often have limited hours – check when you arrive what their hours are, and be sure to reconfirm your departure during those hours.
  • DO – bring small bills to tip your driver. They can’t always break a $20.

Recap:  Your Transfer van and driver is located OUTSIDE of the airport – you must run the gauntlet of timeshare sharks ‘vacation club’ sales reps who are INSIDE the airport, their job is to waylay you by pretending to be who you’re looking for (yes, they are very aggressive and will work hard to convince you that ‘they’ are your transfer company – damn liars! it’s not true!)…….just ignore them and keep going!

Your driver will be looking for you, but pay attention to their shirts – if you don’t see someone wearing the logo of your transfer company on their shirt, go to the information desk in your pickup area and ask where your transfer company parks their vans. The transfer information rep is generally multi-lingual and will help.

Pssst – the REAL reason they like to take you back three hours early? Sure, it’s true that often the lines to get through security can be long, but really it’s so you have time to spend some money in the Duty Free shop!

» ~Jake

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About Jake Johnson 252 Articles
Jake Johnson is a full-time travel bum, who prefers warm climates where the women wear less clothing. We've tried to teach him things like manners and diplomacy, but we've given up and simply rely on our editors to remove the most offensive bits from his articles. We take no responsibility for his inane ramblings opinions - they are his own.
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