Porters

The Skycap porter service is available in all four Terminals. Easily identified by their red tunics, the Skycaps are equipped with sack trucks and will move a reasonable amount of baggage (about four or five suitcases of average size) from one place to another for a flat fee of £5.00. Please note that tips will not be accepted. There are one or two potential snags of which you should be aware, the first being the definition of a reasonable amount of baggage. A Skycap will not move anything more for £5.00 than you can probably move yourself using a free baggage trolley and, according to the notices that define the Skycaps' conditions of hire, "large or excessive items requiring the use of a balance truck will cost £15.00". Make sure, therefore, that you check with the porter whether a balance truck will be used, because the fee could well be £15.00.

The second potential inconvenience is that, unless pre booked, your Skycap will require payment in cash before moving your luggage. If you have just arrived in the UK and are without Sterling currency you may find that a Skycap will not tote your bags until you have been to the Bureau de Change. No cheques or credit cards are accepted unless by prior arrangement.

If you know in advance that you will require a porter, call 0181 7456011 and make your booking which will need to be prepaid by credit card. On arrival at Heathrow your Skycap will be waiting at the baggage reclaim area of your Terminal, and will display a card with your name on it.

If arriving at the airport by road or public transport, you should be able to find a Skycap near to your drop-off point. Help Point phones are situated at designated drop-off areas, and you can call a Skycap from these phones. The Skycap service is free to elderly and disabled passengers, and parents travelling alone with small children.