TOP 10 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BOOKING AND USING AIRPORT PARKING IN THE UK
• posted by Mark Farrell on Tuesday, 22 September 2009 19:25Heathrow Airport Parking, Gatwick Airport Parking, Liverpool Airport Parking, each airport has different parking facilities all of which can make it difficult to decide which parking provider to choose. This article explains what to look out for when deciding who to leave your vehicle with when you take that trip, be it for pleasure or business.
The tips below are in no particular order, as all are in valuable when parking:
Distance To The Airport
Just how far is your chosen car park from the airport you are travelling from? This is an important factor as this will depend on what time you have to leave for the airport. Generally the further away, the cheaper the price.
Insurance
Always check what sort of insurance the car park has. Some less reputable companies out there will not have any insurance at all, so if anything happened to your car you wouldn't have a leg to stand on. Car parks do not generally advertise their level of insurance so make sure you ask. If they are reluctant to tell you then avoid them like the plague as generally there will be a reason for that.
Security
Just how secure is your vehicle? Most car parks will give a brief outline of their security measures by stating things such as 24 hour security, perimeter fencing etc. These sort of statements can be hugely exaggerated so again, please ask the question. Companies with nothing to hide will not have a problem telling you.
Awards
There are many safe parking awards out there such as the Police Park Mark award. These are given out buy the local police in reward for meeting their stringent parking safety standards. Some companies advertise the fact that different car parks have them and some dont. Its worth booking with a car park that has won awards as they have gone that extra mile to ensure your vehicle is safe.
Car Location
Some car parks offering Edinburgh Airport Parking & Stansted Airport Parking have recently been in the media because they were found out by under cover journalists to be moving vehicles once they have been parked up. The customers believed their vehicles were in the same place when in actual fact car park staff and owners were moving them from place to place. With the introduction of tracking devices it is becoming increasingly difficult to get away with this. One sure fire way to avoid this is to insist on a written mileage check when leaving your vehicle and check it when you collect.
Shuttle Frequency
Car parks offering a park and ride service will generally have a shuttle service running. Make sure you check whether it is a dedicated transfer or a shuttle bus that runs continually. If the service is a continuous service then you could be waiting some time both ends to be taken to the airport or dropped back off at the car park.
Damage to your vehicle
This is hugely important. Always get a written record of damage when leaving your vehicle and always check it upon your return. If you do see any damage please make sure you report it before you leave the car park. The reason for this is that most companies will not accept liabilty for any damage claimed after the vehicle leaves the car park.
Price
Remember not to go for a company purely based on price. The cheapest isn't always the best. The old adage also applies to airport parking - you definately get what you pay for.
Reviews
Most booking agents have a review section on their websites. You will find good feedback and bad feedback here. Make a point of spending a reasonable amount of time reading these reviews as these reviews are from real people who have used the service before. This tip is probably the best tip of all of the tips in this article. After your trip has finished, remember to leave a review of your chosen car park so as to help others make the correct decision for their parking provider.
Disabled and Child Facilities
This may seem obvious but a lot of people just take it as sorted. If choosing a meet and greet parking provider there is no need to check for disabled or child facilities as you will be in your own vehicle. If however you choose a park and ride facility make sure they carry a range of child safety seats to suit the age of your children and also that their vehicles have wheel chair access.
There are many many more things to check when choosing and experiencing airport parking no matter which airport you are travelling from. By following the above guidelines though, you shouldnt go far wrong.
Labels: Airport, edinburgh, gatwick, heathrow, Liverpool, Parking, Stansted

