Airport parking - how safe is drop off and collect

johnjameson

We chose the option of dropping our car off at the airport and then having it ready for us when we come back at the airport

Coming back, we'll come back late at night - so I thought it would be good if we just had the car ready for us outside the airport (assuming this is where it would be left)

Great!

Except, I remember now something I saw on watchdog and how there were cowboy airport parking companies who parked cars on dodgy side roads and areas and people had car vandalised or damaged or scratched

Any thoughts?

Thanks


JJ

Angry_Bear

Choose your company carefully and look at reviews first.
I've used drop off and collect a couple of times without any problems, except that one time the people nicked some spare change out of te car ashtray :mad:

Oh, and I always take a note of the mileage just to be on the safe side.

Westin

Indeed beware. Cheapest might not be best. The fields around Gatwick and the streets on the industrial estate in Crawley have been used in the past by some 'secure' meet and greet car parking services.

Obviously_the_best

Choose carefully. Ideally the airport's onsite valet parking, but any gatwick approved offsite on will be fine.

rockchick113

I would only use the airports meet and greet,I've just used Manchester airport M&G and they have there own parking lot next to the airport.

EmmaParsons

I would second Saxonman on the Manchester Airport one. I used it earlier this year and it was the airports own. Whilst being classed as meet and greet, its actually a seperate area of the car park where you drop off your car and then they take it away to a secured car park. On return your car is waiting in the same area for you. Very handy and saved a lot of time.

rustyboy21

EmmaParsons wrote: »

I would second Saxonman on the Manchester Airport one. I used it earlier this year and it was the airports own. Whilst being classed as meet and greet, its actually a seperate area of the car park where you drop off your car and then they take it away to a secured car park. On return your car is waiting in the same area for you. Very handy and saved a lot of time.

Used it too recently and took out a lot of hassle.

Park up in meet and greet T3, drop keys off and 1 min walk to check in. On return, picked keys up and walked 2 mins to collect it.

It actually worked out £5 cheaper than parking in Multi storey at T3 too.

Doing it again in Dec, well worth it

claire16c

johnjameson wrote: »

We chose the option of dropping our car off at the airport and then having it ready for us when we come back at the airport

Coming back, we'll come back late at night - so I thought it would be good if we just had the car ready for us outside the airport (assuming this is where it would be left)

Great!

Except, I remember now something I saw on watchdog and how there were cowboy airport parking companies who parked cars on dodgy side roads and areas and people had car vandalised or damaged or scratched

Any thoughts?

Thanks


JJ

I watched that too years ago & it's always put me off!

I remember they said take a photograph with a date stamp of your mileage.

w211

I've sometimes seen the valet parking guys race in the car parks at Heathrow usually in very expensive cars, heavy on the brakes, squealing tyres, etc.

Once out of sight you won't know what happens to your car, unless you fit a camera.

I would book a space in a long-term car park, making sure you find one where you park the car yourself and take your keys with you, though you'd probably need a bus transfer to and from the car, which is less convenient than having the car ready as you arrive.

peachyprice

claire16c wrote: »

I watched that too years ago & it's always put me off!

I remember they said take a photograph with a date stamp of your mileage.

But decent M&G companies record the mileage and the condition of the car and give you a copy of the form before they drive it away anyway.

Blue264

I book Purple Parking all the time for business clients and they're incredibly reliable.