If You Want To Miss Your Flight -- And Pay $53 For It -- Book This Company!
Westchester Express is a shared airport shuttle service. On July 16, 2012, I called them to book a ride from White Plains to the JFK airport the next day.
My flight departed from JFK airport in Brooklyn at 6:50pm the next day (July 17). So the dispatcher asked me to be ready for a pickup at 3:50pm.
The next day, July 17, I called at 3:14pm to confirm everything. He told me I wouldn't be picked up until 4:30pm. However, despite the later pickup, he assured me that I'd be the last pickup before the JFK airport. Other passengers sharing the ride would already be in the van.
The driver arrived at 4:40pm. Not only was he late. The dispatcher instructed him to pick up yet ANOTHER passenger on the way. That took us on a detour in rush hour traffic.
Even worse, this extra passenger had to be dropped off at La Guardia airport, taking us on YET ANOTHER detour. At 5:56pm, I called the dispatcher to tell him we were still in Queens. And my flight was departing in 54 minutes.
We didn't arrive at JFK until 5:17pm, which was 33 minutes before the departure time. When the driver unloaded my suitcase, rather than offering to reduce or waive the $53 fee, he demanded full payment. I told him I'd pay him IF I could board the flight.
Taking no responsibility for his company's poor planning, he said "You have to pay regardless!"
I asked him to come inside and make sure I could board my flight, and then I would pay him. He grabbed the handle of my suitcase and would not let go. After another minute of arguing, he let go and followed me inside.
Luckily, the flight was delayed and I was still able to board. But this was a complete fluke!
Had the flight departed on time - Virgin's LAST flight of the day - I would've been stranded overnight, and would've had to pay a change fee plus a very unfavorable price to fly the next day.
When the driver and I learned I could still board the flight, he demanded full payment. I paid him and decided to seek justice by writing this article.
This is the second time Westchester Express has disappointed me.
A week earlier, I booked a shuttle to pick me up at JFK airport. I phoned the dispatcher when I landed, and then again when I got to baggage claim. 4 minutes later he called to tell me the shuttle was waiting outside. So far so good.
But I found no shuttle. So I called him. He said "You're at terminal 4, right? You told me Jet Blue?" I said no, I had taken Delta and was waiting at terminal 3.
But that driver never came to pick me up. Instead he left without me and the dispatcher sent a new driver to pick me up. As a result, I waited another 32 minutes to get picked up. read more