The short answer: a delayed flight does not eat into your waiting time, because AUSZ measures it from when your aircraft actually lands — not from the arrival time on your ticket.
That distinction is the whole point, and it is worth understanding before your next airport transfer.
Why "scheduled arrival" is the wrong clock
Most car services calculate your pickup from the scheduled arrival time. Your flight is delayed ninety minutes; the driver was booked against a time that never happened; by the time you clear the terminal, your complimentary window has already been spent on an empty kerb.
AUSZ starts the clock at touchdown. If your aircraft lands ninety minutes late, your waiting time starts ninety minutes late too.
What you actually get
AUSZ tracks your flight and starts your waiting time from the moment the aircraft actually lands — not from the arrival time printed on your ticket. On top of that, you nominate a pick-up delay when you book (landing plus 30 minutes is typical, to clear customs and collect baggage), and the complimentary waiting window of 45 minutes begins after that. A traveller who nominates landing + 30 therefore has 75 minutes from wheels-down before any waiting charge applies. Beyond the complimentary window, waiting is $1.00 per minute. Point-to-point bookings carry 10 minutes from the confirmed pick-up time.
So the sequence for a typical airport booking is:
- Your aircraft touches down. This is the moment everything is measured from.
- Your nominated pick-up delay runs — 30 minutes is common, and you choose it when you book.
- The 45 minutes of complimentary waiting begins.
- Only after that does waiting time attract a charge, at $1.00 per minute.
Real-time flight tracking is what makes it work
None of the above means anything without the tracking behind it. AUSZ monitors your flight from departure. When the arrival time moves, your booking moves with it, your chauffeur is redirected, and you receive an update so you know the change was registered.
This matters most in the cases travellers dread:
- Diversions and gate changes — the booking follows the aircraft, not the original plan.
- Early arrivals — a tailwind that lands you 40 minutes early is as disruptive as a delay if nobody is watching.
- Red-eyes and pre-dawn arrivals — the times when a missed pickup is hardest to recover from.
Who this matters most to
Business travellers on a schedule. A board meeting does not move because your flight did. Knowing your chauffeur is tracking the aircraft removes one variable from an already compressed morning.
Anyone travelling with children or a lot of luggage. Customs and baggage take longer than people expect. Nominating a longer pick-up delay at booking costs nothing and means the clock is not running while you queue.
Travellers arriving into an unfamiliar city. Landing late at night in a city you do not know is exactly when you want the car to be there and the arrangement to be already settled.
How to book so the timing works in your favour
- Enter your flight number when booking. This is what enables the tracking — without it, the booking is a fixed time like any other.
- Nominate a realistic pick-up delay. International arrivals with checked baggage often warrant 45 to 60 minutes rather than 30.
- Save your preferred chauffeur in the AUSZ app if you fly the same route regularly, and request the same person on future trips.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Does the waiting time start when my flight was scheduled to land, or when it actually landed? A: When it actually landed. This applies to domestic and international arrivals alike.
Q: How much complimentary waiting time do I get? A: 45 minutes for airport pick-ups, beginning after the pick-up delay you nominated at booking. Point-to-point bookings have 10 minutes from the confirmed pick-up time.
Q: What happens if I am delayed beyond that? A: Waiting time is charged at $1.00 per minute after the complimentary period. If something exceptional is happening, contact us — we would rather adjust the booking than have you rushing.
Q: Do I need to tell you my flight is delayed? A: No. If you booked with a flight number, we are already tracking it.
*Waiting time, surcharges and no-show conditions are set out in clause 27 of the AUSZ Terms and Conditions. Figures on this page reflect those terms as at August 2026.*
Book your airport transfer in the AUSZ app and enter your flight number so your pickup tracks your aircraft.
