Do I hear any bids on a ride from the San Jose airport to Sunnyvale? Vehicle must be recent model, mechanically reliable, clean (not dirty and of course not stolen!) with a spacious back seat, and trunk to hold up to 4 pieces of luggage.
I had my ex-wife's husband, Ed, pick up the wife and I from the terminal B arrivals at San Jose Airport.
The wife, like all the ladies, packed too much for carry on and had to pick up luggage at the carousel. By the time we got the luggage, the crowd was at its peak
The place was packed as two large planes arrived at the same time, with 400 passengers requiring 200 vehicles to pick them up, in an arrivals area that could only hold 8-10 cars at a time. Who was the knucklehead who redesigned this airport mess!?
Ed could not see us, among the hundreds, and with no stopping, had to make another loop pass, and 10 minutes, to find us.
Next time, we called on my ex, she said that she and Ed were busy, and could drive us to the airport, but not pick us up 6pm on a weekday at the airport.
We used a cab, and paid $40 for the 13 mile drive to central Sunnyvale, plus another $6 for tip. Cabs cost $15 minimum, and average $3 a mile. Highway robbery.
Next trip, the ex and husband are conveniently out of town for our drive to and pick up from the San Jose Airport.
I check Yelp looking for airport shuttles, and come across Wingz.
I go to www.airportshuttles.com, enter our home address and airport destination, along with a time and date for pickup.
We get bids from a number of forms of transport, including bus, shuttle and private car. Wingz is the private car company, and bids $27.50, each way, which includes all gratiuity.
We accept that bid, bill with the credit card, give them our cell phone number, and shortly thereafter receive by e-mail a picture of the car, and the driver. Oliver in a late model metallic red Mazda CX-7 mini van.
One day before the trip, we receive another e-mail with a change of driver/vehicle for the ride to the airport.
We get a text message 30 minutes before pickup time, and confirm by text.
20 minutes past pickup time, driver Harjinder arrives, in a late model BMW 535i. Harjinder is apologetic, tosses the 4 luggage into the trunk, and the wife and I into the back seat of the black BMW. Riding in style to the airport., with Harjinder driving like he's on the BMW test track in Munich!
Next trip, the ride back from the airport to the home.
We miss the connecting flight home. I call Oliver, our wingz driver, tell him that instead of 8pm, we won't arrive until 9:47pm. No problemo says our driver.
We arrive at gate 12, give Oliver a call, and walk the 2/3 mile to the arrivals past gate 28. Whoever designed this airport forgot to put in the surface escalators! No luggage to pick up this time!
We get to arrivals, along with 100 other people, and wait for our driver. 5 minutes later I see the Mazda emblem on the wagon in the dark, and wave my cap. Oliver sees me for the first time, and dodges a few vehicles to get to the curb.
20 minutes and 13 miles later we are home, with Oliver hauling our two heavy carryons up the 16 stairs of our front entrance. Now that's service! $5 extra tip for you , buddy! read more