Booking a Chauffeur on Behalf of Somebody Else

Two people, two sets of information

When you book for somebody else there are effectively two parties: the person arranging the journey and the person taking it. Both matter. The planner asks for a primary guest name, and that should be the traveller rather than you, because it is the name the chauffeur will use on arrival and, where relevant, on a name board.

Your own role belongs in the notes box. A line explaining that you are booking on behalf of the named guest, and that you are the contact for changes, prevents the confusion of a chauffeur looking for you at a door you will never walk through.

Who holds the conversation on the day

Decide in advance which of you is contactable during the journey. Assistants often prefer to remain the single point of contact, which works perfectly well provided you are reachable at the collection time. Others prefer the traveller to be reached directly, particularly for early departures or overseas guests.

Whichever you choose, state it clearly in the enquiry and give the contact details for whoever it is. Nothing wastes more time at a kerb than a call routed to a phone that is switched off in a different time zone.

• Name the traveller as the primary guest
• Say who is contactable at the collection time
• Note any name or title the guest prefers to be addressed by
• Flag if the guest does not know the booking exists

Guests who are new to the arrangement

A visitor arriving from abroad, an elderly relative or a client who did not arrange the journey themselves may have no idea what to expect. Send them the essentials in advance: the collection time, where to be, and the name that will appear on any board.

Add any relevant context to the notes when you book, such as limited English, a first visit to the airport in question, mobility considerations, or a preference to be met inside rather than at a vehicle. Those details shape how the collection is handled far more than the vehicle class.

Surprises and gift journeys

Chauffeur travel is often arranged as part of an occasion the passenger does not know about: an anniversary, a birthday, a proposal, a milestone dinner. Say so explicitly, because the discretion required is different when the passenger has not been told anything.

Where the journey is genuinely a surprise, be specific about what may and may not be said, who will hand over the arrangement at the door, and whether the vehicle should wait out of sight until a particular moment.

Payment and paperwork when you are not travelling

Bookings made on someone else's behalf frequently involve a third party settling the account, whether that is a company, a family member or a household office. Say who the invoice should be addressed to when you enquire, along with any reference or purchase order number that has to appear on it.

Arrangements for how and when payment is made are confirmed as part of the quotation for the journey. Handling that in the enquiry rather than after the fact avoids an invoice being reissued for want of a cost code.

Plan your chauffeur journey

London Chauffeurs provides itinerary-led private travel for airport transfers, executive travel, private aviation, events and long-distance UK journeys. Availability and pricing are confirmed for the requested itinerary.

Frequently asked questions