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EmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services Chairman & CEO David Seelinger still remembers the sage, if not fortuitous advice his father offered to him as a younger man: Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, be open to their advice, and you’ll be successful.
“I believe I have done that, and that’s why we are where we are,” says Seelinger about his team, many of whom have been with the company for more than a decade—some upwards of 25 years.
That includes company President Ed Martinez, COO Joey Phelps, CFO Nat Buonfiglio, Executive Vice President of Sales Marissa Criaris, National Director of Fleet Operations Rich Doherty, and Director of IT Services Jaime Major, all of whom have been with EmpireCLS for a dozen years or more.
“The success of the company is largely due to the people who work here, not me. The tenure among all departments is amazing—the chauffeurs, the call center team, management, everyone—and my team is the most important thing to me. I love my customers, and I’m very service-focused, but at the end of the day I’m not the one delivering the service, they are. As simple as it sounds, if I don’t treat staff like I want to be treated, then it won’t work,” he adds.
Steering one of the largest chauffeured transportation operations, with many hundreds of employees and vehicles, certainly requires a common goal throughout the organization, and Seelinger and his team have faced many headwinds—and tailwinds—over the course of its four-decade history. However, it was during the unprecedented challenges of 2020 where Seelinger’s father’s advice was most prophetic. By trusting his staff and culling the best ideas that came from all corners of the company, he says that EmpireCLS has been booming in the past 18-plus months due in part to the changes and service enhancements they’ve made.
“We had two choices: sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves or trying to make the company better during the downtime, and we chose the latter,” he says. “So, we found that all the sales and marketing we did during the pandemic paid off because we had many new clients once travel started again. Our revenues are up dramatically over 2019. I always wondered if we could get to that next level, and it turns out that the efforts we made during that time put us in a much better place than we’ve ever been.”
Among those changes was a major sales effort toward the entertainment industry as well as an emphasis on partnerships with exclusive travel agencies like Virtuoso and Signature Travel Network. While the corporate travel sector is not quite back to previous levels, Seelinger says they are continuing to run lean and make thoughtful long-term decisions.
“We did some great work internally during the pandemic like adopting new technology and doing a lot of hiring. To me, running EmpireCLS was akin to a flying 747 where there’s never enough time to land so we can service it and make the necessary upgrades we want. This downtime gave us an opportunity to step back and look at the pieces that didn’t work as well in 2019 and troubleshoot how to improve them moving forward. I felt the work we put into making ourselves better was abundantly clear to our clients when they started traveling again, both operationally and by our commitment to protecting their health and safety,” he says.
In late 2022, 30 brand-new, hot-off-the-line Cadillac LYRIQs landed in the fleet of EmpireCLS, destined for both its North Jersey headquarters and office in Southern California. The sleek car barely needed the glossy marketing video campaign and announcements that accompanied the rollout because the vehicle immediately attracted attention for its high-quality amenities and eye-catching looks.
EmpireCLS wasn’t the first to debut an electric vehicle—Teslas and hybrids have been kicking around the fleets of companies along the coasts for years—but it was the first large organization and major network to debut EVs on such a grand scale, not to mention the first in the country to secure the highly anticipated LYRIQ. Earlier in the year, the addition of two Lucid Air sedans to their high-end LA fleet was met with similar adulation.
“Our customers absolutely love the LYRIQ. They are raving about it. It’s an electric car, but it doesn’t feel like one and it doesn’t drive like one. It’s all Cadillac: It’s very comfortable, is luxurious with all of the creature comforts that our customers desire, and is just a fabulous car,” says Seelinger. “We’re very grateful to Cadillac that we got some of the first off the line. Right now, It’s a bright spot in the EV world for our industry, and I certainly hope that operators moving forward will consider adopting it.”
Ambitiously, he hopes that the LYRIQ will replace his entire sedan fleet in LA by the end of the year, noting that California is the right place to start this transition due to the state’s large-scale commitment to installing publicly available charging stations. EmpireCLS invested heavily (nearly $250,000) in its charging infrastructure that includes both regular chargers for overnight top-offs and superchargers that juice up to 80 percent in about an hour. In between runs, many of the hotel properties they work with have them as well and allow EmpireCLS to use them. The New York/New Jersey area has been a bit slower to build that charging network, but their East Coast clients are equally impressed with the LYRIQ.
Beyond EVs and the 75 2022 Cadillac Escalades they bought to upgrade their older models—with 60 more coming in 2023—the company also purchased 100 new Volvo S90 sedans. Seelinger says that a big selling point of the S90 was the accident avoidance system and Volvo’s track record of producing safe vehicles, coupled with an attractive price point in terms of value.
The Empire is growing, but their fleet was just one of many recent changes they made. The company opened a third office in Chicago about a year ago—which is already surpassing expectations. It’s gone from a handful of cars and chauffeurs, guided by Vice President of Midwest Operations Vince Saisi, to 30 vehicles, two Sprinters, and an office staff of six. “Opening offices in other cities isn’t our goal. We have great partnerships in all these cities across the globe as 50 percent of our revenue is affiliate work, so it’s a big part of what we do,” says Seelinger. “Chicago was an opportunity and we grabbed it, and as far as I’m concerned, we struck gold because we’re doing really well there. Hotels are generating a lot of revenue, and we’re in the process of leasing a new building.”
Seelinger also has another passion project: technology. He has always been a vocal proponent of bigger, bolder, and more ambitious thinking when it comes to technology, not only as a tool to unite companies within our industry by reducing human error and achieving greater efficiency for everyone, but also to connect us to the larger travel and hospitality ecosphere. It’s certainly worked well for competitive airlines, hotel chains, and other app-based services. He patiently understands the resistance, but he also wonders: if not now, when?
To stay on the cutting edge of technology within his own organization, he employs in-house software developers who have built innovative dispatch software to meet the unique needs of his company that can’t be satisfied by an off-the-shelf product alone. “Technological advances continue to make businesses in every sector stronger, faster, and more profitable while meeting the evolving and ever-changing needs of clients. It allows companies to be competitive and client-driven, as well as intuit what customers will need tomorrow and next year. In our industry, both global operators and software providers have done an amazing job connecting affiliates to each other, especially through reservations, so we’re ready to take that next step and fully integrate—from booking to real-time dispatch to final trip closeout—so that the client experience is seamless, accurate, and instant,” he says.
Despite his insistence at stepping away from the spotlight, Seelinger is among the most recognized pioneers in chauffeured transportation. This year, he celebrates 40 years in the industry, working his way from chauffeur to CEO, from a regional transportation service to global transportation juggernaut with hundreds of millions in revenue. He’s offered his advice as a mentor at industry shows and even has his own cred on movie and entertainment site IMDB.
“Because of my team, I have the freedom to do the thing that I love the most, which is spending time with employees and clients. I don’t have to worry about being caught up in the daily operations because I know they do it well,” he says about his busy travel schedule rotating between the three office locations. “I’ve always thought that if you can’t fully embrace each employee as a person, then you don’t belong in management. The things happening to them in their personal lives is so much more important than just work. You have to focus on both. Maybe that’s not the way companies run today, but that’s the way I am.”
But the self-professed control freak didn’t always heed his father’s advice, and he had to learn the hard way how to trust the people around him.
“If you’re a business that wants to grow, you can’t unless you empower your team. One person can only do so much. I was a control freak like that until I realized that not only was I nearly destroying my life, but I was missing out on learning new things from other people. I find the majority of the time that people are so creative and figure things out long before I have to tell them. With that level of empowerment, people treat the business as if it’s their own. I love watching that,” Seelinger says.
Story by: Chauffeur Driven
We’ve upgraded our technology with a newly enhanced website booking tool that has great features enabling you to make and modify reservations, view GPS tracking of the chauffeur, see the vehicle license plate, pull trip receipts and much more. All booking methods are interfaced, for example, you can make a reservation with our live 24/7 Res team and yet modify or cancel the trip on the booking tool.
Travel Advisors, please download this important Booking Agent Profile form and complete your preferences which will enable us to establish/update your profile information in our system and secure your log-in registration credentials should you wish to utilize the booking tool. When making reservations under your Booking Agent Profile, each of your bookings has commission protection as the profile is linked to your affiliated agency.
Please forward your completed profile form to AE@EmpireCLS.com for processing and a member of our account support team will provide your log-in credentials.
Travel Advisors-Booking Agent Profile Form
How to use the New Booking Portal
Chauffeured transportation supplier EmpireCLS is introducing a new set of safety and sanitary protocols developed by working with International SOS.
Among the requirements for EmpireCLS and its affiliates are that chauffeurs must wear N95 masks—so named because they filter at least 95 percent of airborne particles—or the equivalent KN95 mask. The company has KN95 masks on order given the current short supply of N95 masks, chairman and CEO David Seelinger said. Passengers, too, will be asked to wear their own facial coverings, and vehicles will be stocked with individually wrapped masks for those who do not have their own.
Read the Full Article here: Business Travel News
Dear Valued Clients,
At EmpireCLS, the safety and health of our clients and employees is always our first priority.
The COVID-19 pandemic has now escalated to a national emergency and global health crisis. During this time of panic and uncertainty, we want to take a moment to address all the precautions we are taking as a company to protect both our employees and our customers.
When news first hit about the virus, we provided all of our Chauffeurs with sanitizing wipes to disinfect our vehicles before and after each trip. Our chauffeurs’ health is being closely monitored, and anyone not feeling well is instructed to stay home.
Click on the video image below to watch
As we continue to navigate through this difficult time together, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to stay connected with us and learn more about any ongoing changes and updates regarding COVID-19 and our services. Our team has created a dedicated COVID-19 page for your convenience.
In addition to these changes, we have provided the majority of our employees with the ability to work remotely to minimize the spreading of any germs. For employees that are in the office, we have provided disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer stations, cleaning products, and encourage all employees to wipe down their work stations at the beginning and end of their shifts. We are confident that these practices, in addition to Microshield disinfecting our offices, will mitigate contamination.
Every employee, including our Chauffeurs, are a part of the EmpireCLS family. Should any of our team require medical attention or quarantine due to COVID-19, rest assured we will stand behind them.
Continue to keep us in mind if you are traveling as there are obvious health benefits riding in a private, sanitized vehicle … versus rideshare, taxi or public transportation: we control the cleanliness of the vehicle, as well as enforce the health standards and practices of our chauffeurs. Getting you where you need to go safely is our #1 priority.
Thank you for your continued loyalty and positive support! We hope you and your family continue to stay safe during this difficult time. Please refer to the EmpireCLS COVID-19 Page, for the latest communication updates. If you have questions our team is always available 24/7. I am committed to sharing any new developments as they occur.
Safe Travels,
David Seelinger
Chairman & CEO
Dear Clients and Partners,
As news regarding the coronavirus continues to develop, we want to stress that we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety and security of you, our customer, and our employees.
EmpireCLS’s health and safety practices go above and beyond the industry standard. As we continue to navigate through this period together, I would like to share this short video on how EmpireCLS is taking extra steps for your comfort and peace of mind.
We hope you find this video useful and encourage you to share this information. I am committed to sharing any new developments regarding our practices as they occur.
Thank you for your continued loyalty and positive support.
Safe Travels,
David Seelinger
Chairman & CEO
Vehicle Cleaning
All EmpireCLS vehicles are maintained in accordance with an established program aimed at providing a clean and comfortable riding environment. Each vehicle is tidied between trips and subsequently undergoes a comprehensive program every night that includes cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting each vehicle in our fleet. All chauffeur’s body temperatures are being monitored daily. These procedures meet or exceed recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO)
Personal Safety Recommendations:
We recommend the CDC’s website as a resource for ways that Customers can best protect themselves from becoming ill. Additionally, customers are encouraged to wash their hands frequently and use hand sanitizer and/or anti-bacterial wipes when traveling.
We encourage you to visit the following links for a thorough explanation of the virus, its symptoms and how it can best be treated.
Please reach out to your account executive team (sales@empirecls.com) if you have questions or need assistance with your travel plans.
The days around the Thanksgiving holiday have earned a reputation as the busiest travel days of the year, but is this status really justified?
And if so, what can you do to streamline the travel process?
Here, we unpack some of the common myths about Thanksgiving travel that may be making you wary and give you the low-down on how to better manage your airport travel around the holiday.
Received wisdom has it that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (this year November 22) is the busiest travel day of the year at US airports. While it’s certainly busy around the holiday – data shows that last year more than 28.5 million people took to the skies – the bulk of this is spread over a number of days.
The busiest day actually tends to fall on the Sunday following Thanksgiving, with almost 3 million traveling by air in 2017. However, The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that the busiest day for air travel throughout the whole of last year was actually in the height of summer, falling on July 14.
Another common myth is that flights will inevitably be delayed due to passenger congestion, putting many travelers off booking flights. Actually, The Bureau of Transportation Statistics show that in 2017, 89% of Thanksgiving flights arrived on time compared to 80% for the rest of the year.
You are in fact much more likely to be delayed during December and January, when adverse winter weather conditions often affect flights. Statistics show that in 2017, January 7 had by far the most delays, with only 45.36% of flights arriving on time. In 2016, December 21 fared even worse with only 39.88% of flights making on-time arrivals that day.
While most people will be traveling to spend time with family and friends during the week of Thanksgiving, the week preceding it is actually one of the busiest for business travel.
Analysis of business travel trends by Concur found that Wednesday and Thursday of the week prior to Thanksgiving are the busiest. The data showed that in 2016, these dates accounted for 58% more corporate travelers than on average weekdays. There was also a significant jump in the number of business travelers who take infrequent trips flying at this time of year, up by almost 20% in October and November.
If you can, delay your business trip until early December or January when business travel volume will be greatly reduced.
While it is useful to debunk some of these misconceptions, traveling around Thanksgiving will inevitably involve larger crowds of passengers, longer wait times, and increased airfare costs. But don’t let that put you off traveling altogether.
If you are planning to fly this year, here’s how to ease your way through the airport experience:
Most airlines now offer a mobile app for flight tracking and making updates to bookings. You’ll get the latest flight status information and find out in advance if there is any disruption.
If your flight has been delayed or cancelled due to circumstances such as adverse weather conditions, you can also rebook using most apps. This will save you time standing in long lines at the booking desk or spending valuable time on the phone waiting to speak to a customer services agent.
One of the major factors that can disrupt your journey and slow you down through the airport is not being clued-up on security regulations. Even if you are a regular flier, you may find that there have been updates to the rules since you last traveled, so be prepared and check in advance.
For example, as of 2017 all electronics larger than a standard smartphone need to be removed from your carry-on luggage. Make sure you have them in an accessible location so you can remove them quickly and easily. If you are traveling with a smart bag you will also need to make sure the lithium-ion batteries are removable. If they aren’t, you may not be allowed to bring it on board as these are now considered a potential fire hazard.
Allowing plenty of time at the airport is always sound advice, however you need to overestimate for Thanksgiving travel. Aim to arrive around 60 minutes before you usually would. This will give you more time through the check-in and security processes so you can avoid missing your flight.
If you don’t make your flight it could be particularly difficult to get yourself an alternative option. Seats are in much higher demand at this time of year, so don’t take the chance.
Remember that there will be lots of people who are not regular fliers jetting off on their travels, too. This can mean delays through security, boarding, and at check-in. Just be prepared to deal with a slower process than you may be used to, or avoid the hassle entirely with EmpireCLS’ premium Airport Greeters Program.
Whatever precautions you take, travel over Thanksgiving is likely to be busier than usual. But your time is precious, and you don’t want to begin your journey with unnecessary hassle before you’ve even got off the ground.
Avoid the stress with EmpireCLS’ VIP Airport Greeters Program.
We take care of all the details of your airport travel, so you can relax.
Our service is like having your own personal travel assistant. We can help you navigate the airport with ease, breeze through security, and get to your gate in total comfort.
With our exclusive Airport Greeters service you’ll enjoy:
The service is available in over 450 destinations worldwide so wherever your Thanksgiving travels take you, you can relax knowing the airport process will be stress-free.
Your time is valuable. Don’t waste it battling through crowds and waiting in line at the airport.
Learn more about our VIP Airport Greeters Program.
“You don’t hitchhike anymore, correct? But, a lot of people digitally hitchhike. So, they’re using an app, but they have no idea who’s behind the wheel. They have no idea about the safety aspect of the transportation,” said EmpireCLS CEO David Seelinger.
Women are often informed of things they should do to stay safe. They include things like not walking home late at night or having someone accompany them when walking through a parking lot. This also includes getting into the car of a complete stranger. Unfortunately, women still do – through the use of ridesharing services.
Here are a few reasons why women should think twice before opening up a ridesharing app to book transportation.
More and more, people are falling victim to a tactic in which ridesharing drivers are choosing to collect cancellation fees, instead of doing cheap trips. Travel influencer, Brian Kelly, also known as The Points Guy, experienced this first hand. By purposefully not doing cheap trips, they are forcing passengers to cancel. Drivers then keep 75% to 80% of the cancellation fee that passengers have to pay. The percentage is dependent upon when they started driving for that particular ridesharing company.
One reason drivers would do this is if a passenger is going a short distance, but the driver has to travel a long way to pick the passenger up. Another instance would be if a passenger is traveling to a neighborhood where the driver believes he or she is unlikely to receive another pickup. This situation is particularly common at airports. Drivers who have been waiting in line for a long time might want to take a cancellation fee for a cheap ride, rather than lose their places in line and miss the opportunity to do a longer, more profitable trip.
Beyond being extremely unprofessional, this shady act risks women being stranded and possibly vulnerable, especially if they are booking a ride late at night.
At EmpireCLS, all of our chauffeurs are valued employees of our company who receive some of the most competitive salaries in the industry. They also get bonuses based on performance, which incentivizes them to always provide the utmost in personal service. And, as a professional chauffeured transportation provider, there will never be a time in which our customers won’t be served. We take great pride in giving people first-class experiences every time they travel with us, with the utmost in trust and reliability.
You can actually end up entering the wrong car with someone who has other intentions. In fact, anyone can easily purchase stickers and magnets with the logos of ridesharing companies online. If you’re in a rush or just can’t wait to get home, you might unintentionally step into a car that you didn’t order. Unfortunately, this scenario does happen, and women have been victimized.
Such was recently the case with Elizabeth Suarez, a young woman who booked an Uber to take her home after a night out in Las Vegas. She got into a car that had matched the description she was given, but it was not the Uber that she had booked. Elizabeth didn’t realize the driver she was with wasn’t her ride until she received a call from her actual driver. She was able to escape after jumping out of the car while it was still moving. Though she suffered a few injuries, Elizabeth was able to get away from what could’ve been a much more dangerous situation.
You never really know what you might be getting yourself into when you use a ridesharing service. Many would expect that everything should be just fine. But, with an alarming frequency of negative incidents, you can never really be sure about what you could be getting yourself into.
Unfortunately, fake ridesharing drivers aren’t the only thing women have to worry about. Drivers who actually work for these ridesharing companies aren’t completely safe either. During the summer of 2017, 92 allegations of sexual assault were reported against Uber and Lyft drivers. In April of this year, CNN published a statistic that 103 Uber drivers in the U.S. have been accused of sexually assaulting or abusing passengers in the past four years. At least 31 drivers have been convicted for crimes ranging from forcible touching and false imprisonment to rape. Additionally, dozens of criminal and civil cases are pending.
As an industry standard, many professional chauffeured transportation companies maintain strict screening processes when it comes to employing chauffeurs. At EmpireCLS, the safety and security of our passengers is our highest priority. Because of this, only the most trustworthy applicants get the opportunity to call themselves EmpireCLS chauffeurs. We regularly perform extensive federal, state and Department of Motor Vehicles background checks. Our zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy is steadfast. And, we conduct psychometrics exams to assess each chauffeur’s mental capabilities and behavioral style. On top of this, all of our vehicles come with onboard DriveCam and Silent Passenger vehicle tracking, allowing us to proactively maintain the safety of our passengers.
Ridesharing companies do uphold a set of vehicle restrictions that apply to everyone who applies to become a driver. These requirements can vary greatly depending on the specific service type divers are planning to drive under. They are also just a starting point, and the approval of a driver’s vehicle is solely at the discretion of that particular ridesharing company, who has the final decision. This can sometimes vary on a state-to-state basis.
Additionally, although encouraged, there is no requirement for drivers to maintain adequate safety and performance standards. This means that passengers could risk riding in vehicles that may not necessarily be completely safe.
How can women be safe and secure if the vehicle they’re traveling in isn’t properly maintained? This should not be something that they have to worry about when booking transportation services.
Reputable chauffeur transportation companies conduct regular maintenance for their vehicles to keep them running in peak performance. At EmpireCLS, each vehicle in our late-model, luxury fleet is meticulously maintained. And, because we pull vehicles from service after 24 months, we have one of the youngest fleets in the industry.
Women only know how reliable ridesharing drivers are from the information that ridesharing companies share about them on their apps. Although there have been improvements for rider safety, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
To truly have peace of mind, women should consider more secure forms of transportation. When it comes to safety, there’s no better way to travel than with a professional, reputable chauffeured transportation company.
At EmpireCLS, we go above and beyond to keep women safe. In addition to conducting extensive chauffeur screenings, we perform daily vehicle preparation and preventative maintenance. Our chauffeurs are also trained in defensive and evasive driving.
On top of this, our specialized SecureCar service offers added security when travels call for an extra layer of protection. It’s ideal for women vacationing in unfamiliar locales or heading to highly political regions for business.
Click here to learn more about our passenger safety standards.
For more information on our SecureCar services, please click here.
It’s almost that time of year when the ghouls come out to play and spine-chilling specters fill your neighborhood. Yes, Halloween is here and it’s time to dust off your creepiest costumes and get ready for a night of freakishly frightening frivolity!
Although Halloween should be about having fun, you also need to be aware of the safety risks around driving during the festivities, especially where kids are involved. Here are some of the dangers to watch out for – and how you can avoid them.
Plan ahead
The roads will be busy with cars and pedestrians on Halloween. If you are heading out to a party or other event, make sure you know exactly where you are going and plan in enough time to get yourself there. You don’t want to be dealing with last-minute panic that causes you to rush. You’ll only be putting yourself and others in danger if you are speeding along the road to reach your destination in time. Likewise, if you are unsure of where you are going you could become distracted by messing with your GPS while you’re on the move, or looking out for turns and street signs when you need to pay attention to what’s happening on the road and sidewalks. Having a clear idea of your route and planning enough time to get yourself there will help keep you and other road users safe.
Don’t take the risk
If you are attending a Halloween party, don’t assume you can have a couple of drinks and drive back with no issues – 52% of motor vehicle deaths on Halloween involve alcohol. You never know how alcohol will affect you from one day to another. It can depend on your level of tiredness, how much you’ve eaten, whether you’re taking any medications, and many more contributing factors. Also, if you’re at a party where the host is serving Halloween-themed punch or cocktails, you won’t always know how much alcohol you’re consuming. Chances are the measures may be more generous than your standard serving at a bar! So even if you think you’ve only had one, it may be more like three or four. Just don’t take the risk of driving. Walk, catch a lift with a friend who is not drinking, or use a car service to make sure you get home safe.
Be aware of more pedestrians
Keep in mind that there will be far more people out and about on the streets. Whether they’re trick or treating or walking home from a party, be extra vigilant. Kids will likely be excited and less aware of potential road hazards, and adults may have had a few alcoholic beverages that cause fewer concerns for their own safety! Also, be aware of the potential perils of people wearing dark costumes. While they may feel perfectly visible, their full-on black witches hat and gown combination may make them almost impossible to see on a dimly-lit side street. Drive slowly and be extra cautious especially in residential neighborhoods where street lighting is limited to give yourself time to react.
Alert kids to the potential dangers
Shockingly, statistics show that children are twice as likely to be killed in traffic accidents on Halloween, so make sure they are alert to traffic safety. If your kids are going to a Halloween party or trick or treating with friends, make sure you know how they are getting there and back before the event itself. If they will be walking at any stage, talk to them about the potential risks. You should also make sure they have a flashlight and some form of reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to drivers.
Be mindful of costume ‘distractions’!
If you’re the designated driver for Halloween, chances are you will be dealing with a car full of hair-raising costumes that can be a potential distraction. Large, bulky costumes may reduce visibility levels so be cautious and give yourself extra time at intersections or when merging onto roadways. Be aware of any costumes that make sound or emit light as this can also divert your attention from driving! If you have a large group or particularly elaborate costumes then hiring a car service may be a better idea. That way, you won’t have to worry about getting distracted or fitting everyone in your own vehicle.
Be cautious of other drivers
Just because you haven’t had a drink doesn’t mean that others will have done the same. You can control your own driving choices, but the sad fact is that there will be others who haven’t exercised the same caution. Just be aware of any vehicle that looks like it may be being driven by someone over the legal limit. If the driver is constantly swerving or driving erratically then avoid them as best you can and report it to the authorities. Likewise, if you are aware of someone that has been drinking and is planning to drive home, don’t let them do it. It is not just themselves they may harm. Make sure they make alternative arrangements to get back safely without putting other road users in harm’s way.
Avoid the dangers with a dedicated car service
To completely avoid the hassle, simply book a car service with EmpireCLS. Our dedicated, professional chauffeurs will make sure you get to and from your Halloween festivities safely.
We have a large fleet of vehicles that will suit any group size and requirements. Got the kids in tow? Our Cadillac Escalade SUV has plenty of room for the whole family to enjoy the ride. Out on the town with a group of friends? Then the Mercedes Benz Sprinter van will fit all your party in luxurious comfort – costumes and all! All of our vehicles are meticulously inspected and maintained on a daily basis, so you can be sure you’ll experience the highest quality transportation service.
Our chauffeurs are also specially trained in safe and defensive driving techniques. They’ll stay fully focused on the roads and know exactly what dangers to look out for, so you don’t have to worry. With their extensive local knowledge, they’ll also be able to avoid any areas that are especially busy or hazardous. That way, you can sit back and enjoy the journey without stressing about extra pedestrians, timing, or route planning.
Book with us to make sure it’s a howling-good Halloween for everyone!
As the holidays draw near, many are now making plans to travel and spend some quality time with family and friends. Of course, as with any other major holiday, there are some pitfalls to air travel and airport transportation during this time.
Here are our top tips to get the best travel experience possible and to make sure you have a stress-free, safe, and enjoyable holiday!
Dodge the Crowds
The holiday season is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. In fact, over 107.3 million Americans traveled by plane during the 2017 holiday season, and 6.4 million traveled by air. However, there are some things you can do to help ease the hassle and avoid the worst of the crowds. First, think carefully about the dates you are booking your travel. In addition to you potentially saving a significant amount of money by scheduling your flights on quieter travel days, it will also eliminate some of the associated stress with fewer people in the airport. If possible, try to travel as early as you can before the holidays and leave as late as you can after the New Year. If you really must travel close to the holidays, try and book an early flight that will whisk you away before large crowds and backlogs of passengers begin to accumulate at the airport.
Arrive Early
It is always a good idea to arrive early for your flight, but you should be particularly keen to do so if you are traveling over the holidays. However much time you think you need at the airport, leave more! This particularly applies if you’re travelling with kids or a large group that can slow down the check-in and security process. You should also expect that major airports, like Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, John F. Kennedy International and Los Angeles International will be extremely busy during the holidays. If you have traveled through these airports in the past, you may think you have the timing down to a fine art, but the holidays will bring longer lines through check-in and security and busier than usual amenities in the terminal building. By making sure you arrive nice and early, you’ll avoid the stress and last-minute panic of rushing for – or even missing – your flight. You can also consider reserving airport transportation from a professional chauffeured transportation service provider. At EmpireCLS, our airport transportation service ensures that you arrive to the airport with plenty of time to relax before your departure. And with decades of experience under our belt, we know how to ensure that your travels are seamless, regardless of whether or not you travel during the busy holiday season.
Take Advantage of Airline Rewards
Another sure-fire way to have a more relaxing and comfortable airport experience is by using the advantages that airline rewards programs will offer you. Once you get to a certain points threshold, you’ll be eligible for perks, such as seat upgrades, speedy check-ins, lounge access, and priority boarding. All of these little extras can really help to ease the hassle of flying over the extremely busy holiday season, and you’ll start earning points straight away! Even if you don’t qualify for any level of priority status just yet, it’s still worth checking if you can be upgraded on your flight. Oftentimes, airlines will have better seats still available and will bump you up on the basis that you are a loyal customer with a number of reward points to your name already. It’s always worth checking!
Get Up to Speed on Travel Requirements
It is important to know the rules before you fly, and with ever-changing TSA requirements, you really do want to be on top of all the latest regulations to be sure you avoid the stress of being unnecessarily delayed and potentially even missing your flight altogether. As the holiday season is such a busy travel time, it is imperative you have all your ducks in a row and don’t bring any items that are likely to be investigated or confiscated, no matter if they might seem innocuous to you. Make sure you have all your necessary travel documentation and confirmations so you avoid any last-minute issues, and be sure that you understand ID requirements depending on where you are traveling. If you are traveling outside of the U.S., make sure your passport has at least 6 months left before expiry, otherwise you might have problems – depending on the country you are visiting. Additionally, make sure you stay up-to-date with the latest Real ID regulations regarding the use of driver’s licences for domestic flights.
Pack Carefully
When it comes to the holiday travels, it is a good idea to try and limit your luggage to carry-on. This may be difficult, particularly if you’ll need heavy winter clothing, but you’ll definitely receive some benefits if you can. You’ll often save money by not having to add a bag to your booking. Plus, you’ll be able to check-in online and head straight to security when you arrive at the airport, avoiding any busy bag-drop drama. You’ll also be able to walk straight off the plane and continue your journey as soon as you get through arrivals, saving you valuable time. However, make sure you pack sensibly to ensure that you clear security with minimal hassle. For example, liquids should be kept to 100ml or less and packed in a clear plastic bag. Also, make sure you know the requirements for removing any food, electronics, or medications when you go through – that way, you’ll save even more time.
Use a Specialized Airport Greeting Service
To definitely be sure that you can enjoy a completely stress-free airport travel experience during the holidays, consider booking EmpireCLS’ V.I.P Airport Greeters service. Through this specialized concierge program, we help you speed through the entire airport process with ease and comfort, so you can concentrate on looking forward to your joyous holidays, rather than battling with parking, crowds, and long lines through security. The program, which can be booked alongside our chauffeured airport transportation service, provides expedited transport and other benefits at over 450 airports worldwide. So wherever you’re headed this holiday season, you can enjoy peace of mind and hassle-free air travel. With Greeters that make you feel like you have your own personal travel assistants, the EmpireCLS Airport Greeters service includes:
Click here to learn more about how EmpireCLS’ V.I.P Airport Greeters service can help you have a stress-free, more enjoyable travel experience this holiday season!
EmpireCLS is honored to be a 2018 Concierge Choice Awards finalist in the Transportation Service category! Big thanks to Chauffeured Driven for covering our exciting news!
