Taxi app FREENOW adds an ‘Airport Prebook Promise’

FREENOW, the taxi booking app jointly owned by Mercedes Benz and BMW, has launched an ‘Airport Prebook Promise’.

I thought it was worth a mention since it seems generous in terms of what you get if your prebooked ride to or from the airport fails to turn up on time or at all.

It is only valid on trips TO the airport.

The ‘Airport Prebook Promise’ covers pre-booked cab rides (either black cabs or Uber-style rides) booked via the FREENOW app to the following airports:

• Heathrow
• Gatwick 
• Luton 
• Stansted 
• London City

Note that you only get paid when:

‘the User has selected one of the Relevant Airports from the list of airports under the ‘airports’ tab under the dropoff box (denoted by an aeroplane symbol). Destinations typed into the dropoff box will not qualify.’

What causes you to be paid compensation?

The ‘promise’ will pay you £60, in the form of 2 x £30 FREENOW vouchers valid for one month, in the following circumstances:

• no taxi can be found to accept your prebooked ride before the pick-up time

• the assigned driver cancels your ride before the pick-up time

• the booking is cancelled for technical reasons at FREENOW

• your taxi has not arrived within five minutes of the agreed pick-up time and you cancel the booking

• your taxi arrives more than 10 minutes late (compensation is reduced to 2 x £15 vouchers in this scenario)

I think this is a smart move by FREENOW. It gives you a reason to choose them over other taxi or ride booking apps, and given the cost of airport trips it should easily pay for itself. The cost of paying out under the promise should be far lower than the incremental business gained.

You can find out more on the FREENOW website here.