23 March 2010

Gatwick Hilton valet park and stay packages

If you are flying from Gatwick Airport this summer why not book yourself the ultra-convenient park and fly package: Gatwick Hilton Hotel’s valet park and stay package.

The Gatwick Hilton Valet Park and Stay Package offers the convenience of meet and greet parking with the luxury of staying at the Hilton Hotel at Gatwick’s south terminal.

Valet parking is the most convenient type of airport parking available and, coupled with a stay at the Hilton prior to departure, offers a totally stress-free start to your holiday.

With the Valet Park and Stay Package, an upgrade from the traditional park and stay, guests no longer have to park their cars at an offsite car park and catch the shuttle bus back to the terminal. Guests’ cars are collected from the main front entrance to the London Gatwick Hilton on arrival and returned personally to the Hilton’s entrance when guests return from their holiday.

The convenience of car collection on arrival at the hotel means that on the day of departure guests are able to access the airport terminal directly from the hotel, no hassle, no worries about bad weather, no heavy luggage to carry – porters are available at the Hilton and airport trolleys can be used from the airport terminal to the Hilton Hotel.

Valet Park and Stay Packages are available directly from the London Gatwick Hilton. Packages include one night’s stay at the London Gatwick Hilton and parking for either 15, 8 or 3 days with prices varying depending on the type of room booked.

Hilton Valet Park and Stay Packages are operated in conjunction with Help-Me-Park, the Hilton’s valet parking contractor. Help-Me-Park will contact the customer directly for all details regarding the vehicle to be parked and return travel details – extra days will be identified at this point and the customer will be billed directly for additional days.


Valet Park and Stay Packages can be booked online at www.hilton.co.uk/gatwick or by calling 01293 518080

17 March 2010

9 questions to ask when you book meet and greet parking

Our homes probably represent our biggest capital investment and we are careful to protect them with insurance and security procedures, however, have you stopped to think about your car? Yes, you have insurance, maybe an alarm, possibly even a tracking device, but what about when you go on holiday? Do you stop to think who is looking after your car and where it will be parked?

If you are parking onsite at the airport, you know where your car is parked and you know where it will be when you come back. There are visible signs of security cameras and other procedures in place to prevent car theft. But…what about off-site parking facilities? Where is your car going to be parked, who will be driving it and what security measures are in place to protect it while you are away?

Your car is a valuable asset. You need to know that you are handing your car over to a reliable company, so don’t be afraid to ask the following questions when booking meet and greet parking:

  1. How will I recognise my driver?
    Anyone collecting your car from you should be uniformed and carry identification.

  2. Where is my car going to be parked?
    Your parking company may not disclose the exact location of their car park for security reasons. However, you should be given a general location of their car park and facilities, and how many miles from the airport they are by road. Choose a company that can assure you that your car will be parked in a designated, hard-standing car park. One that is completely hard-standing, not grass. You don’t want to drive straight from the airport to the nearest car wash, do you?

  3. What security measures are in place to protect my car?
    Ask about the on-site security measures, which should include CCTV, High fencing, alarms, possibly dog patrols and security of car keys – they should never be left in the vehicles. Keys should be locked in a safe with adequate security.

  4. Where will you meet me and will you be waiting for me?
    Your parking company should give you an accurate pick-up point at the terminal, and should be there, waiting to meet you. You have paid for meet and greet parking so you should not have to repeatedly call them to be met or for the return of your car. A maximum of 15 minutes during busy times from when you call seems reasonable.

    Some reputable meet and greet parking companies offer a money-back guarantee that you won’t be kept waiting.

  5. What happens when I get back?
    On your return, a driver should have your car waiting for you when you leave the terminal. It’s commonplace for passengers to phone the meet and greet company from baggage reclaim, but only to ensure accurate timing of the arrival of your car. You shouldn’t have to phone again when you have left the terminal and then wait for a driver to bring your car to you, it should be waiting.

    Check that the company will have your car waiting for you when you leave the airport.

  6. Are your premises licensed?
    You get what you pay for, and sometime, cheap is cheap for a reason. Some companies have been known to use ‘unofficial’ car parks – ones that don’t have local planning consent – sometimes cars have been known to be parked in fields. If your car is parked in an unlicensed car park, it is less likely to have adequate security arrangement, such as high fencing, lighting, and security alarms as this will draw attention to the area and could alert local planning authorities.

  7. Do you hold a Park Mark® Safer Parking award?
    Always look for the Park Mark® award. The Park Mark® Safer Parking Scheme is an initiative of the Associations of Chief Police Officers aimed at reducing crime and the fear of crime in parking facilities. Strict guidelines and standards must be met to achieve accreditation and parking facilities are vetted by the police to make sure security measures are in place to meet the Park Mark® Safer Parking facility standard.

  8. Who is going to drive my car?
    Pick a company that uses mature, experienced drivers. Does the company you plan to use vet their drivers for criminal records?

  9. What measures are in place to ensure that my car isn’t given to someone else on my return?
    You should be provided with a receipt for your car and should not be given back your car without this receipt or some form of photo ID such as your passport.
Remember, when booking your meet and greet parking don’t be afraid to call the company to ask questions.

Further information:

For further information on Park Mark® Safer Parking and to check for companies holding the award click here: www.parkmark.co.uk

Gatwick Airport meet and greet parking company, Help Me Park holds the Park Mark® Safer Parking award - for more information click the link.

09 March 2010

Aberdeen Airport parking scores a safety 'hat-trick'

Grampian Police have handed their top parking safety honour to Aberdeen Airport's new car park, meaning the Dyce terminal has completed the treble.

Representatives from the Force were on site earlier this week to hand over the official 'Safer Parking Award' for the newly opened short stay parking deck and the Priority Parking area.

That is on top of an existing award for the long stay car park, ensuring complete peace of mind for all passengers.

Gillian Stuart is the Contract Manager for APCOA (the car park operators) in Aberdeen. She said "We are delighted to have been awarded the Safe Parking Award for the Short Stay and Priority Parking car parks which are in addition to the award we currently hold for our Long Stay car park.

"The team are very proud of this achievement as we work extremely hard to ensure the car park is safe, secure and clean as we realise how important these are to our customers. The award is only achieved following stringent assessments, by Grampian police and the BPA, of the management processes, physical measures and site security systems to maintain a safe and secure environment.

Superintendent John Duncan from Grampian Police, who handed over the award, said "We applaud any initiative which helps to deter criminality and anti-social behaviour.

"We are delighted to recognise the good work APCOA have done to improve their facilities at the airport and enhance safety for members of the public."

Jemma Forrest, BAA Retail Executive, worked on the parking deck construction project and was delighted with the award. She said "This was one of our most high-profile projects of 2009 and to have our work recognised in this way is great. It is testament to the great working relationship we have with APCOA that has helped us deliver such a trusted product. I am sure our passengers will be pleased to hear how safe their car is at Aberdeen Airport."

The car park was opened in September 2009 at a cost of almost £5 million, providing 500 new short stay spaces. Not long after, in October, the Priority area was opened to the public, complete with wider bays, the closest spaces to the terminal, and all fully undercover. The Priority service is already proving popular with the business community, among others, who are seeking the most convenient time-saving route through the airport. Passengers choosing to go for Priority Parking, now also get access to Priority Security as part of their deal.

To compare Aberdeen airport parking options and book your airport parking online click on the link.

02 March 2010

Travelling to the airport the most stressful part of your holiday?

Getting to the airport on time to get your flight can be quite a stressful part of your holiday. How long should you leave for your journey, what if there’s a traffic jam or an accident, how early should you arrive and how should you travel to the airport? By planning ahead and getting arrangements in place early you will help alleviate the stress.

What time you arrive at the airport will be dependent on whether you are on a domestic or international flight, however, the minimum check-in time varies between airlines and individual routes, so check in advance with your airline.

At busier times of the year it may take longer to pass through airport security and you need to take this in to consideration. If you are travelling at weekends or in the school holidays it is advisable to allow extra time, although don’t allow too much extra time as hanging around the airport waiting for your flight can be stressful in itself.

Transport options

Your method of transport to the airport may be dependent on where you live in relation to the airport. If you live quite some distance away, you may find that public transport options involve too many changes to be convenient.

  • Coach
    If you are thinking about travelling by coach, there are many airport-dedicated services that you may wish to consider. Each airport site has a breakdown of coach services to assist you in finding out which service is most suitable for you. When booking coach travel check the coach company’s luggage allowances: hand baggage allowance and weight and number of checked-in bags permitted.

  • Train
    Many airports now have excellent train services and generally a station located on-site or very nearby. Gatwick airport for example, was the first UK airport to fully integrate air and train services with its own Gatwick airport station. Check out the various train operators and book your train tickets online.

  • Special rail services
    As well as the traditional train services, there are now many dedicated airport train services, such as the Heathrow Express, Stansted Express and Gatwick Express which offer fast direct services to the airport from central London. These operate at very frequent intervals, and are faster, but slightly more expensive than the normal train services.

  • Bus
    This is probably my least favourite option, unless you live very close to the airport, and even then, the thought of dragging heavy luggage on to the bus and worrying about where to stash it during the journey fills me with dread. Your airport site will list the airport bus services available.

  • Car
    If you are planning to drive to the airport always book your parking in advance, as turning up on the day hoping for a parking bay is stressful and significantly more expensive.

    Consider your parking options carefully before booking as there are many different types of parking available, such as on-site: short- or long-stay; off-site airport parking; park and stay options with local hotels; or valet meet and greet parking.

    Plan your route in advance with an online route planner, such as the AA or Multimap, and carry a map or use satellite navigation just in case your planned route is disrupted by an accident. Always check the Highways Agency website for advance notice of planned road works that may affect your journey.

  • Taxi
    Book your taxi in advance. It is usually cheaper to use a local taxi company to drop you off at the airport and more convenient to use the official airport taxi company on your return. Although the official taxi company will be slightly more expensive, a taxi should be waiting for you. An off-airport taxi will not be able to wait outside the airport in the same way as an official taxi due to security restrictions.

  • Friends and family drop off
    This may seem convenient but think of the poor driver, their time, and their fuel. Relying on a friend or family member can be stressful, what if they’re late, or an unexpected problem occurs? You don’t have a contract with them and you may not be able to make last-minute adjustments to your plans.

Whatever your chosen method of transport to the airport, make sure you have organised it in advance to save undue stress on the day.

Paula Garrett is a frequently traveller and recommends using Gatwick meet and greet parking , advising passengers to book their Gatwick valet parking as early as possible to avoid disappointment.