A storm is the best stress test a small airport transfer business can have. Half-term week in October 2026 gave us one. Nothing went to plan, and everyone got there anyway, which turns out to be the whole job.
Stranded in Jersey
On Thursday, Storm Austen arrived. By Friday, one of our passengers was stuck in Jersey with her flight home cancelled and no idea when she'd get back. Her return booking simply moved to Monday. That's it. No fee, no fuss, and we'll be in arrivals with her name on a board, exactly as we promised the first time.
Three fellow travellers at Worthing station
Friday evening, Worthing station, trains to Gatwick cancelled, and three people who'd never met, all about to miss flights. They shared one of our cars. Fellow passengers on the platform, acquaintances by the A24, storm buddies by Gatwick.
If you're ever stuck at a station with a flight to catch: look around. The person next to you is probably going to the same place.
Saturday at Gatwick
Saturday was the airport's turn. Flights delayed by four and five hours, and queues to match. One family we'd dropped at 7:30am were still there at lunchtime, armed with a £10 airline voucher and a sense of humour. At Gatwick prices, £10 buys one croissant and a quick look at the coffee.
Meanwhile, a 5:15am run to Gatwick North, a long-haul pickup at Heathrow Terminal 2, and the clocks going back on Sunday morning. The extra hour of sleep was immediately withdrawn by a 4:30am pickup on Monday.
What we learned
- Pre-booked beats on-the-day, every time. Nobody who'd booked with us was scrambling for a cab at 5am. The trains, the apps and the surge prices were somebody else's problem.
- Following your flight is the whole game in a storm. Every delay and cancellation showed on our screen before the passenger had finished their coffee.
- A fixed price is calming. On a weekend when everything else got more expensive, ours didn't move. Not even the storm could surge-price us.
- A text at the right moment is worth more than a brochure. “We've seen the delay, no need to call, we'll be there when you land.”
Five tips for flying in a storm
- Check your terminal the night before. Airlines move. Our Gatwick terminal guide was checked in October 2026.
- Don't rely on the first train of the day. In bad weather it's the first one cancelled. Our rail strike guide covers the plan B.
- Keep your receipts. If a delay reaches three hours on arrival and the cause isn't the weather, you may be due compensation from the airline.
- Tell your driver the moment your flight changes. We'll usually already know, but a message never hurts.
- Add fifteen minutes to everything. We do, quietly, on your behalf.
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The Airlink team · Sussex Airlink, Worthing. Calm is our default.