Elderly Parents Arriving at Edinburgh: Slower, Warmer, and Met by Name

Being met by name, inside

For an elderly traveller arriving alone, the single most useful thing is not the vehicle — it is that somebody is standing inside the hall holding their name, before any decision has to be made. No app, no queue, no working out where to go, no explaining an address in a second language. Families booking on behalf of a parent usually tell us it is this part, not the car, that made them stop worrying about the arrival.

The pace of everything

Nothing is rushed. Boarding takes as long as it takes, there is no meter running, and there is no queue behind us at a rank. If someone needs to sit for a minute before walking out, that is fine. Our vehicles have a low step-in height and powered sliding doors, which makes getting in and out considerably easier than a standard saloon, and folding walking frames or wheelchairs stow without difficulty in the luggage area.

What families should tell us

The useful details are practical: whether the passenger uses a stick or a frame, whether they can manage a few steps at the destination, whether they speak English comfortably, and whether anyone should be messaged once they are safely in the car. We are happy to send a short message to a family member abroad on pickup and again on arrival — for a daughter in Hong Kong or a son in Toronto, that is often the whole reason the booking was made.

Booking on behalf of a parent

1. Give the passenger's name as it should appear on the board.
2. Say whether they use a stick, frame or folding wheelchair.
3. Tell us if there are steps at the destination address.
4. Give us a number to message once they are safely in the car.