Gatwick and Heathrow disruption guide
Flight delayed or cancelled? How to protect your Sussex airport transfer
A practical response plan for departures, arrivals, diversions and cancellations. Learn what to check first, when to contact the airline, what your transfer provider needs, and how UK passenger rights may apply.
The first 10 minutes: use this order
Confirm the exact flight
Use the flight number, date and direction. The same route can have several flights, and a reused flight number may appear on another day.
Check the airline
The airline controls cancellation, rebooking, check-in and passenger care. Sign in to the booking, read the latest message and keep a screenshot of any change.
Check the airport
Use Gatwick live flights or Heathrow’s official flight information. Confirm the terminal as well as the status.
Contact the transfer provider
Send the booking reference, flight number and the airline’s confirmed change. Do not send only “the flight is late” because the operational response depends on whether it is a departure or arrival.
Keep receipts and records
If disruption creates reasonable food, accommodation or transport costs, retain itemised receipts. Your entitlement depends on UK law, the route, cause and airline response.
If your departure from Gatwick or Heathrow is delayed
Do not automatically delay the Sussex pickup by the same number of hours. Airlines may still require passengers to check in and pass security at the original time, and an estimated departure can change again. Follow the airline’s written instruction before altering your road journey.
If your arriving flight is delayed
Give the operator the correct flight number when booking. Flight monitoring can show an updated estimate, but the actual meeting time also depends on landing, reaching the stand, passport control, baggage reclaim and customs. Keep your phone switched on after landing.
If the flight is severely delayed, do not assume unlimited waiting is included. Review the waiting terms and contact the operator when you have reliable information. If another flight replaces the original, share the new flight number before departure where possible.
If the flight is cancelled
Contact the airline first. Gatwick advises cancelled passengers to speak directly to their airline, which may rebook the flight and arrange a hotel. The UK Civil Aviation Authority explains that passengers on flights covered by UK law have rights to care and assistance when a flight is cancelled. Depending on the circumstances, this can include reasonable food and drink, communication, accommodation when rerouted the next day, and transport to and from that accommodation.
Your rights: care, refund and compensation are not the same thing
| Term | What it means | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Care and assistance | Reasonable support such as food, communication and, where required, accommodation and related transport. | Eligibility and timing depend on the disruption and applicable law. |
| Refund or rerouting | Options the airline may have to provide after cancellation or a sufficiently long delay. | Choosing a refund can end the airline’s duty to carry you on that itinerary. |
| Reimbursement of expenses | A claim for reasonable costs you paid because required assistance was not provided. | Keep every receipt and avoid unreasonable or luxury spending. |
| Fixed-sum compensation | A separate payment that may apply in certain delay or cancellation cases. | It is not automatic. Cause, notice, arrival delay and legal coverage matter; extraordinary circumstances may exclude it. |
| Transfer cancellation | Governed by the taxi operator’s booking terms, not by airline passenger-rights law. | An airline cancellation does not automatically determine the transfer refund. |
Use the CAA’s official pages for delays and cancellations. Start a claim with the airline. The CAA says it generally cannot help until you have first tried to resolve the issue directly.
What to send Sussex Airports Taxis
| Situation | Send this information |
|---|---|
| Delayed departure | Transfer booking reference, airline message, flight number, confirmed terminal and whether check-in time changed. |
| Delayed arrival | Original flight number and any replacement flight number. Keep the passenger phone reachable after landing. |
| Cancelled flight | The airline’s confirmed outcome: rerouted, new date, different airport or no travel. |
| Diversion | Actual arrival airport and the airline’s onward plan. Do not independently book a long rescue journey until you know whether airline transport is being arranged. |
| Missed connection | New confirmed onward flight, terminal, expected arrival and whether bags remain checked through. |
Gatwick disruption: what changes on the ground
Gatwick has North and South terminals. Its railway station is at South Terminal, linked to North Terminal by the free shuttle. Airport pickup normally uses Short Stay parking, and operators may have a specific meeting procedure. When arrivals bunch together, parking, baggage reclaim and phone communication can all take longer.
- Confirm North or South Terminal again after any airline change.
- Use the official live flight page, then check the airline booking.
- Do not walk to a different pickup point without telling the driver.
- If your phone has no UK signal, use airport Wi-Fi and the operator’s original contact route.
- For assistance, Gatwick recommends booking through the airline or travel agent at least 48 hours in advance where possible.
Heathrow disruption: terminals and connections
Heathrow has four terminals. During disruption, the important detail is not simply “Heathrow”; it is the confirmed terminal and whether the passenger is arriving, departing or connecting. A replacement flight may use a different terminal or airline.
Check Heathrow passenger updates and the airline’s message. If severe delays or cancellation affect the flight, Heathrow directs passengers to the CAA rights guidance and the airline for the actual claim or rebooking.
Diversions and airport changes
A flight planned for Gatwick may divert to Heathrow, Stansted, Luton or another airport. Wait for the airline to explain whether the aircraft will continue, passengers will be coached to the original destination, or baggage will be handled elsewhere. The first arrival airport shown online is not always the final passenger collection point.
Only ask the transfer provider to reposition after the passenger’s exit airport and onward plan are confirmed. Repositioning across London can involve substantial time, road charges and a new quote.
Road disruption can exist without flight disruption
A flight may be on time while the M23, M25, A23 or local Sussex roads are affected by collisions, weather or overnight closures. Check National Highways live travel updates, particularly before early departures. Overnight works can begin on the previous calendar date.
Build collection time backwards from the airline requirement and add a realistic road contingency. Leaving “earlier than usual” is not a calculation; the airport, terminal, route, time of day and passenger needs determine the buffer.
Travelling with children, medication or assistance needs
Keep essential medication, documents, chargers, food permitted by security rules and a change of clothing in hand luggage. If a delay becomes an overnight stay, do not allow critical items to disappear into checked baggage unnecessarily.
Sussex Airports Taxis cannot currently provide child seats. Bring your own suitable seat if required and tell the operator about children, pushchairs and child-seat bags. For mobility assistance at the airport, arrange it through the airline or travel agent and reconfirm after a flight change.
Payment and changes to the taxi booking
Sussex Airports Taxis is a pre-booked service operating 24/7, subject to availability. Payment can be made by cash or card to the driver, and a payment link can be requested. Changes, cancellation and any revised quote depend on the booking terms and the work already committed. Do not assume an airline refund automatically creates a taxi refund.
The best protection is early, accurate communication. Send the confirmed change before a driver is dispatched or repositioned whenever possible.
Need to update a Sussex airport transfer?
Have the booking reference, flight number and airline’s confirmed change ready. For a new journey, provide both postcodes, airport, terminal, date, time, passengers and luggage.
Contact the teamBook a transferOfficial links to save
- Gatwick live flight information
- Heathrow passenger updates
- CAA flight delays and cancellations hub
- National Highways live travel updates
Frequently asked questions
Should I delay my airport taxi when my departing flight is delayed?
Not automatically. The airline may still require check-in at the original time. Follow its written instruction, then contact the transfer provider with the confirmed change.
Does flight monitoring guarantee the driver will wait indefinitely?
No. Monitoring helps identify flight changes, but waiting and major schedule changes remain subject to the booking terms, vehicle commitments and communication with the passenger.
Who must help when my flight is cancelled?
Contact the airline first. For flights covered by UK law, the airline may owe care and assistance, rerouting or a refund. Use the CAA’s official guidance for the exact circumstances.
Am I always entitled to compensation?
No. Compensation is separate from care and refunds. Legal coverage, cause, notice and length of delay matter, and extraordinary circumstances may exclude fixed-sum compensation.
What if my flight diverts to another airport?
Wait for the airline’s onward plan and confirm where passengers and baggage will actually exit. Then contact the transfer operator; repositioning may require a new quote and availability check.
Can I pay the driver after disruption?
Payment can normally be made by cash or card to the driver, or a payment link can be requested. Any changed fare or booking terms should be confirmed before the revised journey.
Information checked 1 September 2026. Flight status, passenger rights and airport procedures can change. The airline, airport, CAA and National Highways sources take priority.