Private Hire vs Private Car - You Decide!
These days a good alternative to the private car, particularly when it comes to the Airport run, is a Private Hire Taxi. The journey by Private Hire vehicle is with a fully licensed driver (in the UK these licences are issued by the local authority) in a fully licensed vehicle. Private Hire and Hackney Carriage (Taxi) cars and minivans are thoroughly checked out for mechanical safety and emissions every six months, and your driver has regular medical check-ups as well as a criminal record check.
So in choosing a taxi licensed by the local authority you can be sure of the ride - both vehicle and driver have passed tests! There is no doubt that with pre-booked parking the option of taking the family to the airport and parking your car can be cheaper than a taxi, and of course there's always public transport (how you reacted to that last statement will give you a clue as to whether this is a viable option for you!). But how about the cost? With your own car there's fuel, wear and tear and parking - all of which are part of your budget (or should be!); with a private hire journey there's a fixed price, no parking fee, and the same amount of fuel in the tank when you return home, as well as the same number of miles on the 'clock'.
Thinking about the next trip to the airport - book a taxi, fix the time the price! There are of course priceless advantages to someone else driving - they 'take the strain', they arrive fresh and ready to drive you home - they won't have jet lag, won't have been tempted to a drink on the flight (which of course you WILL be able to enjoy after all - you're not driving!), and will be used to driving in your home country's traffic and roads. You won't have to wait for a bus to the car park, won't have to remember where you put your keys (they're safe at home with your car!), and won't have a 'where's my car-park ticket panic! With live flight information on the net your driver shouldn't have been hanging around at the airport either - the price you negotiated before you left will still be the price!
Ethical Taxi operate a private hire vehicle in South Wiltshire, UK, specialising in airport transfer work, for more information on the services offered visit the Ethical Taxi website.
