Tips to Avoid Parking at UK Airports when collecting people

savemon3y

Thought I would start this thread to see if anybody has tips for parking at UK airports when collecting friends and family (to avoid paying the expensive short term car parking charges).

My tip:

Heathrow Airport - park at the local Tesco Extra (seems to be a few surrounding the airport). When the person has exited customs, they call me and I collect them from the drop off zone. Good thing is that we can park there for 3 hours (I think) - so if the person you are collecting takes ages to get out you aren't sitting at the airport with car parking charges piling up.

Haven't a clue about the other airports surrounding London - or any of the others around the UK!

deva

At Manchester terminal 1 you can walk upstairs to departures and be collected for free from the drop off spot.

agrinnall

I realise it won't be convenient for many people but I can highly recommend Inverness airport, which lets you park for 20 minutes at no charge in the short stay car park to drop off and pick up.

opinions4u

deva wrote: »

At Manchester terminal 1 you can walk upstairs to departures and be collected for free from the drop off spot.

Same with T2.

T3 just walk a few yards to the departure drop off and get picked up there.

AlexMac

At Gatwick S Terminal, you're supposed to use the short term car park to pick up (£3 for 30 mins; £6 for the 1st hour), which is OK but the area near the terminal can be busy, road-ragey and stressy at peak times.

So, in practice, many people pick up at the drive through drop-off area; OK if you can contact your passengers by phone and synchronise with their arrival as you can't hang around there. And if, as many also do, you hang around the nearby MacDonald's or petrol station-!!!-shop to kill time, beware their 1hr/30 min car-park time limits with APNR and civil enforcement.

I wouldn't recommend what some arriving passengers do- which is to walk to the MacD; stumbling across a busy 1-way 3-lane road as other jet lagged drivers mow 'em down!

savemon3y

AlexMac wrote: »

At Gatwick S Terminal, you're supposed to use the short term car park to pick up (£3 for 30 mins; £6 for the 1st hour), which is OK but the area near the terminal can be busy, road-ragey and stressy at peak times.

So, in practice, many people pick up at the drive through drop-off area; OK if you can contact your passengers by phone and synchronise with their arrival as you can't hang around there. And if, as many also do, you hang around the nearby MacDonald's or petrol station-!!!-shop to kill time, beware their 1hr/30 min car-park time limits with APNR and civil enforcement.

I wouldn't recommend what some arriving passengers do- which is to walk to the MacD; stumbling across a busy 1-way 3-lane road as other jet lagged drivers mow 'em down!

hhmmm - I don't know the Gatwick area. I know there is a Tesco Extra on Reigate Road. Can't people park/shop/wait there?

Doshwaster

It can also be very hard to park at the McD's (even if you want to eat there) at Gatwick South as the car park is used by taxi drivers who think they own the place. I was recently there at 6am on a Sunday morning and it was crammed.

Pincher

Great minds think alike, until you try to pick up people stingier than even I.

It took me several times to work out, my sister refuses to switch on her mobile phone, because receiving calls or texts will cost her international rate, since UK is overseas for her.

So, to save her maybe 50p for a call, I have to pay £3~£5 for short term parking.

mgdavid

Pincher wrote: »

Great minds think alike, until you try to pick up people stingier than even I.

It took me several times to work out, my sister refuses to switch on her mobile phone, because receiving calls or texts will cost her international rate, since UK is overseas for her.

So, to save her maybe 50p for a call, I have to pay £3~£5 for short term parking.

no you don't, I would flatly refuse to collect someone that difficult.

JemmaBe

Gatwick North have become hyper-vigilant about the drop off point for departures now.
Whereas before people would wait for arrivals passengers, you will now be moved on if:
1. No-one is exiting your car (so arrivals are a no)
2. The person you are waiting for is not there to immediately jump in before you're stopped.
3. You take more than about 5 seconds to say your goodbyes.

Be warned! Instead you'll have to use the short stay car park at arrivals, or get your passengers to meet you elsewhere.

paddyrg

Pincher wrote: »

So, to save her maybe 50p for a call, I have to pay £3~£5 for short term parking.

Seeing as international texts can't be much more than say 30p, maybe suggest she uses a payphone to give your mobile 3 rings...that is free at least... Bit rude if someone is doing you a favour and picking you up though.