What's the best taxi for a family going to Bristol Airport?

The honest rule: count the suitcases and the buggy, not just the heads. Two adults and two children with a full boot of holiday kit is an MPV, not a saloon.

UK law requires children under 12 years or under 135cm to use an appropriate child seat, though licensed taxis and private hire cars have specific exemptions. We'd rather do it properly than rely on the exemption, so we offer:

• Infant seat, 0 to 12 months
• Child seat, 1 to 4 years
• Booster seat, over 4 years

Seats are £5 each and chosen during booking, subject to availability, so add them when you book rather than hoping on the day. The seats you book are in the car and waiting when the driver arrives. If you'd rather bring your own, just tell us when you book.

Most family holidays leave on an early flight, and that's exactly when a guaranteed car matters most. A pre-booked MPV is confirmed the night before at a fixed price, so there's no scramble for a big enough car at 4am and no surge on a school-holiday Saturday. On the way back, we track the flight and give 45 minutes of free waiting while you get four people and the bags through arrivals.

• Meet and greet (£15) puts the driver inside arrivals with a name board, so you follow one person instead of marshalling everyone across a car park
• Standard pickup is the Drop Off & Pick Up car park, a short walk through the Transport Interchange. The £8.50 airport charge is already in the fare, and the driver loads the bags while you see to the children
• Tell us if you need extra help with a wheelchair or medical kit and we'll send the right vehicle

Two Google reviews, one from a family of four and one from repeat customers:

“Perfect professional service. Prompt, helpful and friendly — and good value too. We needed the Bristol–Heathrow return, family of 4 plus baggage, in a minor emergency, and they did not let us down.”

Nick G., Google review

“We were a little worried the first time whether they'd be reliable — this is now our second airport transfer and we wouldn't use anyone else. Our flight was delayed and Sam was still there to pick us up.”

Hannah B., Google review

For seat stages and the law, see the child car seat page. A bigger group, or two families travelling together, fits the 8-seater, and the luggage and vehicle sizes page shows what goes in each car.

If it's just two adults with cabin bags and no car seats, you don't need an MPV, book a saloon and save the space. The family case for pre-booking is about certainty and the right seats, not upselling you a bigger car. The A1 Flyer bus is £9.50 and fine for older, lighter-travelling families, but with a buggy, cases and a tired toddler, door to door usually wins.