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Package holiday problems · Updated October 2026

Holiday Transfer Didn't Turn Up? What to Do, Step by Step

General information, not legal advice. This guide summarises UK rules as we understand them at the time of writing (October 2026). Your booking conditions and circumstances matter, so check official sources such as GOV.UK, the CAA/ATOL, ABTA, Citizens Advice and MoneyHelper, and get advice if you need it. Contains clearly marked affiliate links. Disclosure.

You've cleared arrivals and there's no rep, no coach and no driver with your name on a board. Or it's going-home day, your pick-up time has passed, and nobody has arrived at the hotel. Here's what to do, in order.

At the airport: the first 15 minutes

  1. Check you're in the right place. Look at your transfer voucher or app for the meeting point and terminal. Some airports have more than one terminal or exit, and operator desks are often just outside arrivals.
  2. Call the number on your voucher. Transfer providers and tour operators usually list an emergency or 24-hour number. Use the operator's app chat if it has one.
  3. Tell them your flight number and where you are standing. Delayed flights sometimes mean drivers have been rescheduled.
  4. Start keeping evidence. Take screenshots of calls and messages, time-stamped photos of the meeting point, and note the names of anyone you speak to.

If nobody comes

If the transfer was part of your package (booked together with your flights and hotel), the organiser is responsible for it, even if another company runs it. Under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, the organiser must put things right. If it doesn't do so within a reasonable time, you may be able to sort it out yourself and claim back the necessary costs. Government guidance for businesses gives exactly this example: a traveller who takes a taxi to catch their flight because the organiser's bus is late.

If you booked the transfer separately, for example directly with a transfer company, your contract is with that company and its terms apply. Contact it first. If it won't refund you, your card provider may be able to help through chargeback, or Section 75 for credit card payments over £100.

Going-home day: if the pick-up doesn't arrive

Your priority is catching the flight. Ask hotel reception to call the transfer provider and your organiser's line. If time is running out, take a taxi from the hotel and keep the receipt and evidence as above. Check your pick-up time the day before. Package coach times are usually published a day or two before departure on the app, the hotel noticeboard or through the rep.

How to avoid it next time

FAQs

Can I claim back a taxi if my package transfer didn't turn up?

If the transfer was part of your package, the organiser is responsible for it under the Package Travel Regulations 2018. Government guidance gives the example of a traveller taking a taxi to catch their flight when the organiser's bus is late, and claiming the necessary costs back. Contact the organiser first if you can, keep receipts and evidence, and claim in writing.

How long should I wait for my transfer?

There is no fixed rule. Check your voucher for the stated waiting time and emergency number, and contact the provider or your organiser's 24-hour line straight away. If you are at risk of missing a flight, tell them and take reasonable steps to get there.

What if I booked the transfer separately from my package?

Then it is usually a separate contract with the transfer company, and its terms and conditions apply. Contact the company, keep evidence, and if it won't refund you, ask your card provider about chargeback or, for credit card payments over £100, Section 75.

Free post-booking checklist