1ST Airport Taxis raises £2.5m to reduce delays using real-time flight data
This article covers 1ST Airport Taxis, a startup that has raised £2.5m to expand its airport-to-city transfer operations and develop technology to reduce delays, missed connections and congestion around major UK hubs. The development aims to improve reliability and capacity for airport transfers and targets passengers, airports and airlines by integrating flight data and optimising vehicle dispatch to ease pressure on the UK travel network.
1ST Airport Taxis has raised £2.5 million to expand its airport-to-city transfer operations and build technology aimed at cutting delays, missed connections and congestion around major UK hubs. The funding comes as passenger numbers rebound after the pandemic and ground-transport systems face renewed pressure from rail disruption, driver shortages and tighter airport traffic-management rules.
Why it matters
Airport transfers have become a critical pressure point in the UK travel network as public transport reliability fluctuates and passenger volumes recover to pre-pandemic levels or higher. That creates knock-on effects for airports and airlines when travellers miss connections or face long queues for onward travel. Improving point-to-point ground transport capacity and reliability is therefore a practical lever for reducing disruption across the wider travel ecosystem.
The announcement also signals investor appetite for solutions that apply software to traditional transport services, particularly where integration with flight data can reduce operational friction for passengers and operators alike.
Inside the product
1ST Airport Taxis plans to deploy the new capital to develop three main technical capabilities:
- Real-time flight integration to match vehicle dispatch with arrivals and reduce waiting times for delayed flights.
- Predictive dispatch algorithms intended to optimise routes and driver allocation to minimise congestion and minimise missed connections.
- Strengthened driver-compliance systems to ensure regulatory and airport access rules are met and to improve reliability.
The company says these features are aimed at reducing operational failures common across airport-adjacent transport, and at smoothing vehicle flows around Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton. The business has also recently expanded operations in the UAE, reflecting demand along UK–Gulf travel corridors.
Who are the investors?
1ST Airport Taxis announced a £2.5 million raise but did not disclose the identities of the backers or name a lead investor in the public release. The company described the funding as new investment to build capacity and technology, and did not provide investor quotes or a breakdown of participation.
The deal sits against growing interest from mobility investors in technology-driven ground-transport solutions that can integrate with airline and airport systems. Public and private capital flows into this area are often split between strategic partners, angel and private investors, and sometimes family offices or sector-focused funds, though the specific composition for this round has not been revealed.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of mobility venture capital firms in the UK
- Browse our directory of mobility angel investors in the UK
Founder perspective
In the announcement, Wajid Hussain, Founder and CEO at 1ST Airport Taxis, said:
Airport transport is now a critical part of national travel infrastructure. When flights are delayed or trains are cancelled, ground-transport operators carry the pressure. This investment allows us to build the resilient systems the industry increasingly depends on.
Hussain framed the raise as necessary both to scale operational capacity and to introduce software-driven controls that can respond to the variable conditions of modern travel.
The bigger picture
The funding comes at a time when airports and ground handlers are seeking ways to reduce surface congestion and improve passenger flow without relying solely on public transport recovery. For airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton, better-coordinated private transfers can shorten dwell times in pick-up zones and reduce delays that ripple through terminals.
For UK and European policymakers and transport planners, more automated, data‑linked transfer services present both an opportunity and a challenge: they can improve resilience but also require coordination on curb management, data sharing and regulatory compliance. The deal underlines a broader market opportunity for startups that can bridge vehicle fleets, flight systems and airport operations.
As the sector evolves, observers will watch whether privately backed technology approaches can deliver measurable reductions in missed connections and congestion while integrating with wider transport strategies across the UK and Europe.
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