19 December 2013

Avoid Gatwick Christmas rail chaos with meet and greet parking

Gatwick Airport is expecting its busiest ever Christmas this year with around 2 million people expected to pass through the airport from 13 December until 5 January 2014.

As expected at this time of year, the road and rail networks will be extra busy too. As well as extra people, rail passengers should expect delays, lots of delays, cancellations and bus travel!

Yes, due to engineering works, the Gatwick Express service has been cancelled and rail-replacement buses will be operating on part of the service from London Victoria Station to Gatwick Airport.

Instead of direct services between Victoria Station and Gatwick, which take around 30 minutes, passenger travelling to the airport will travel to East Grinstead, change to a bus, which will then take them to Gatwick - a journey, which Southern expects to take 90 minutes!

Avoid the hassle of trying to get to and from Gatwick Airport by train this Christmas and book Gatwick meet and greet parking - probably the most convenient type of airport parking.

By booking meet and greet you'll avoid:
  • 90-minute journeys to and from Gatwick
  • parking your own car - you just hand your keys to a driver waiting at the airport
  • any extra time spent travelling to an off-airport car park and the shuttle bus journey to the airport.
And the best bit...you'll be in your car, driving home before your fellow passengers have found their car in the car park, or have got on the bus home!


18 December 2013

Newquay Airport introduces free 10-minute stay for passenger drop off

A controversial decision to charge car owners to drop passengers off at Newquay Airport will be scrapped next Monday, 23 December just nine months after it was introduced.

Up until March this year, drivers had a maximum of 15 minutes to drop passengers off in the airport car park before being charged a fee of £1.

From Monday, drivers will be permitted to stop for 10-minutes free of charge, after which a £1 charge will be made for the first 30 minutes.

A full list of Newquay Airport car park charges, applicable from Monday, can be seen by clicking on the link.

12 December 2013

Southend car park to fight closure

Independent airport parking company, Southend Airport Car Park has been ordered to close its 200-space car park after the local council issued an enforcement notice, the Echo reports.

The company, which has been operating from the site since June 2012, does not have planning permission for the car park on Temple Farm Industrial Estate.

Southend Airport Car Park has appealed the decision and an inspector will now decide whether the council’s enforcement notice is valid.



04 December 2013

What is Chauffeur Parking?

Confused over what chauffeur parking is? Well don’t be.

You don’t have to be a celebrity, royalty or extremely well off to enjoy the benefits of chauffeur parking! In fact, it’s just another way to describe meet and greet parking and valet parking.

Whilst the term chauffeur parking isn’t commonly used, it is occasionally. So just like meet and greet parking, chauffeur parking is the most convenient option when driving to Gatwick Airport.

If you’re not familiar with Gatwick meet and greet parking, also known as Gatwick valet parking here are all the details for you:
  • This type of parking at the airport is when you drive directly up to the Gatwick’s arrivals/departures drop off area in either the north or south terminal
  • Here you are met by the parking company driver who then takes your car to the car park for you – reputable companies will have fully uniformed and ID’d staff members
  • This leaves you to make your way directly into the airport terminal
  • It’s a very quick service and avoids any hanging around waiting
  • You do not need to drive to a remote car park several miles away from the airport
  • You do not need to use a courtesy bus to make your way to the airport having dropped your car off, usually taking 15 minutes
  • So, just like, if you were dropping off a friend at the airport, you drive right up to the airport, unload and off you go. 
This type of parking is ideal for everyone. In fact most travellers, having used the service, rarely use any other type of parking afterwards.
Chauffeur parking is especially good for travellers:
  • With heavy luggage and sports equipment etc. 
  • Families find it ideal as they don’t have to worry about getting children in and out of a car, onto a bus (usually the bus won’t have child seats, and it’s a case of them on your lap)
  • Equally, the service is good for the elderly or those with limited mobility for the same reasons.
  • Time pressed business travellers enjoy its efficient service. 
Although, it is a little more expensive than traditional airport parking, it does save a lot of time -  you don’t have to add an extra 30 – 45 minutes to your journey time as you drive straight to the airport, not an off-site car park. And the best bit... when you fly back into Gatwick you come out the terminal, your car is ready and waiting and you can make your way immediately home!