MGP Heathrow valet parking redesigned website launched

A brand new, freshly redesigned, and not to mention incredibly easy to use, website for mgpHeathrow.co.uk has been launched.

As specialists in Heathrow meet and greet parking the website has been given a complete re-design. Born from a combination of market research and customer feedback, mgpHeathrow have strived to create the web’s easiest and simplest website for Heathrow meet and greet parking. And of course, not to mention the fact that the website is the cheapest for quality meet and greet parking at Heathrow Airport too!

That’s why 93% of mgpHeathrow customers have used them more than once!

Quite literally as “easy as 1, 2, 3” the new website will provide a cheap Heathrow Airport parking quotation in seconds. Users of the site simply fill in their travelling dates and times right on the home page, and the no hidden extras quotation is provided. There’s no trailing through bags of fancy marketing speak or hard sell, or several clicks later being able to get a quote.

No Hidden Extra Quotations!
Not only are mgpHeathrow certain there is no other site as easy to use as theirs, but it’s one of the web’s very few that guarantees that the quote is the price to pay!

• No hidden charges or extras – guaranteed
• Saves money – guaranteed
• No credit card charges – guaranteed
• No booking fees – guaranteed

Just honest pricing. Simplicity. And the finest quality parking available at Heathrow Airport at the very best Heathrow meet and greet prices.

Plus, with a landline contact number issued with every booking it just confirms that there is nothing to hide!

mgpHeathrow meet and greet parking follows its simple and honest ethos in all parts of its business. Users cannot only get a great price on their airport parking at Heathrow Airport, but from the home page there are also direct links to everything users might need to know about them and their service. With direct links to Frequently Asked Questions, Who Will Park My Car? and Is My Car Safe? for example, everything is out in the open.

Independent Valet Parking Providers at Heathrow
Meet and greet airport parking experts, mgpHeathrow, provide nothing but safe and secure parking. Independently owned, it means that they and only they control their website. Unlike so many sites, mgpHeathrow is not a site offering parking from any old ‘tom, dick and harry’.

Very Latest Security Measures in Safe & Secure Heathrow Parking Facilities
Only mgpHeathrow Parking can be booked on the mgpHeathrow site. That means customers are met at the airport by mgpHeathow’s fully insured, mature and respectful drivers. It also means that customer’s vehicles are parked in safe and secure car parking facilities, secured by the latest 24 hours security measures – a car park that has been awarded the coveted Park Mark award.

Check out www.mgpHeathrow.co.uk yourself for the very best meet and greet parking at Heathrow Airport.

New Luton Airport Parking products available

Two new parking products have been launched by Holiday Extras offering extra choice for Luton Airport passengers.

The new parking products are:

Airport Carparkz Meet and Greet – Meet and greet parking at Luton Airport

Airport Carparkz Park and Ride - offering park and ride airport parking from £54 for an 8-day stay and £101.25 for a 15-day stay.

Parking sign mix up at Leeds Airport

The controversial new drop-off fee at Leeds Airport has stirred up more controversy after the airport broke planning rules when it installed new signage to alert passengers to the new charges, the Yorkshire Evening Post reports.

Passengers now have to pay £2 for the privilege of dropping-off or picking-up passengers in the airport’s Drop Off & Pick Up Car Park and bosses, keen to tell passengers of the £2 fee, failed to apply for planning permission before erecting the signs on White House Lane.

According to the paper, the notices also breach guidelines on style, content and letter size.

A council spokesman told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “The new signs on White House Lane alerting passengers to the new pick-up and drop-off arrangements at the airport do not meet national road sign guidelines.

“We have spoken with the airport and will ensure they resolve the matter as quickly as possible.”

How to spot a reputable meet and greet parking company

We’re heading into the summer holiday season when airport passenger numbers will rocket as the world, his wife, and their children head off for sunnier destinations.

Airports will be heaving with passengers, roads will be filled with traffic and airport car parks will be bursting at the seams with parked cars.

During the school holidays the demand for flights rises significantly and with increased demand for flights comes demand for other holiday services: foreign currency exchange, hotel rooms and, of course, meet and greet airport parking.

There are many long-established, reputable airport parking companies for the traveller to choose from, however, in the run up to the busy holiday period, a number of smaller parking companies will appear in the hope to glean a slice of the airport parking companies’ business. While some of these will be honest, and hardworking looking for a well-deserved break into the business, others will just be there to make a quick buck and move on to the next business as soon as summer is over.

It can be difficult for the customer to distinguish the good guys from the bad, after all, they only book parking once a year, so don’t always know how to spot the cowboys.

There’s lots of competition in the valet parking business with some companies gearing their prices so that they work on a numbers basis rather than a service basis. Anyone looking to book valet parking should always be aware that the cheapest is not always the best and likewise, the most expensive may not be either, so how do you spot a reputable meet and greet parking company?

The following tips should help:

Telephone number
Always look for a company with a landline number, not just a mobile phone. The company should have a mobile number for contact but they should also have a landline which should be answered with the name of the company, not just ‘hello’.

Car park
Ideally, the company should hold the ParkMark Safer Parking award which demonstrates that the car park has met strict security guidelines to reduce crime.

Many companies just setting up to take advantage of the high demand during the holiday season don’t have official car parks and often rely on parking cars in fields, outside homes, supermarkets, industrial estates and side roads.

Identification
You need to be able to recognize your driver to ensure you are handing your car over to the correct person. Ideally your driver should be wearing a uniform and carrying official ID. Check the company’s website before you book.

Payment
Payment should be made via a secure website, not by cash on the day.

Terms and Conditions
Always read the company’s terms and conditions before booking. Check that your car is covered by the company’s insurance while being driven by their drivers.

Alarm Bells:

Alarm bells should be ringing if the only method of contact is via mobile phone, you have no physical address for the company and they require cash on the day.

The above is only a small selection of ways in which to identify a reputable valet parking company. You can always check online reviews, however, beware of reviews by people who have only just joined the forum and have only posted one review.

If you are in any doubt about the reliability of the company, walk away and look for another company.

BOGOF offer on Dublin Airport Parking

We're all familiar with the BOGOF offers at supermarkets - buy one get one free offers. Now Dublin Airport has extended the BOGOF idea to airport parking.

Passengers flying out of Dublin and wishing park for two weeks can now book two weeks parking and get the second week free.

The offer applies to Dublin Airport’s Long Term Red Car Park.

Official valet parking - is your car covered?

There was an interesting story in the Guardian this weekend about BAA’s official valet parking at Stansted Airport.

Although the complaint received by the paper happened in September last year, the story is still relevant today and highlights the need for anyone using any type of parking, particularly meet and greet parking, to read the small print and identify what a parking company is and isn’t responsible for should your car be damaged while you are on holiday.

The Guardian’s article contains a letter from a customer who booked BAA’s valet parking at Stansted and on his return from holiday found his car had ‘significant scratching at the driver’s side bumper’. The damage was pointed out to the company, forms filled in and photos of the damage taken, however, he later received a letter saying that, as per the terms and conditions, BAA was not responsible for the damage – BAA’s T&Cs stated that it is not liable for damaged caused to cars once they are parked.

It would be difficult to prove when the car was damaged – before parking, during parking, while parked or during the return journey to the customer.

When booking airport parking don’t assume that your car is safe, and that the parking company will take responsibility for any damage. Always read the terms and conditions and, as the Guardian article’s response to the customer points out:

“your letter is a timely reminder to other readers that their cars are not automatically safe just because they are parked at an official airport car park.”

To view the Guardian's article: "BAA's airport parking not up to scratch" click on the link.

Free Prestwick airport parking

If you’re looking for an unbeatable deal on Prestwick Airport parking get yourself over to Prestwick Airport where Barrhead Travel has recently opened a new branch.

To celebrate the opening, the travel agency is offering free Prestwick airport parking to customers who book a holiday.

Barrhead Travel is the largest independent travel agency in Scotland.

Change to car park names at East Midlands airport

Customers wishing to book, or who have booked, East Midlands Airport parking are being advised that the airport has made changes to their car park signage and changed the names of the car parks.

The new car park names are as follows:

• Long Stay 1 – formerly Car Park 1
• Long Stay 2 – formerly Car Park 2
• Long Stay 3 – formerly Car Park 3
• Shuttle Plus – formerly Car Park 6
• Shuttle Economy 1 – formerly Car Park 7

Changes to details for on-airport parking at Luton

There have been some minor changes to the arrival and departure procedures for Luton on airport car parks.

Car parks concerned are:

• Long Stay Pink
• Long Stay Pink Supersaver
• Mid Stay Green
• Mid Stay Green Supersaver
• Short Stay Yellow

Arrival Procedures are as follows:

The car park has an automatic number plate recognition system, so make sure you enter your car registration number correctly when you make your booking. We recommend that you bring a copy of your booking confirmation with you.

Drive up to the entry barrier and press for a ticket. Your car registration number and booking reference number will be printed on your ticket. Follow the signs to the nearest available spaces.

Make a note of where you have parked and make your way to the nearest bus stop.

If the barrier does not recognise your vehicle registration number, please take a ticket and park in the nearest available space.

Departure Procedures are as follows:

Collect your car and drive to the exit barrier.

Put the ticket you took when you came into the car park into the exit slot. The barrier should lift. If it doesn't, or the machine displays a price, you should press the intercom and staff will help you.

If your entry ticket does not have your booking reference number printed on it, press the intercom and staff will help you. Please explain that you have pre-booked and quote your booking reference number or booking confirmation.

If you have parked for more time than you booked, you will have to pay for the extra time before you go. The machine will show the amount in the exit column and you can pay by credit or debit card.

Change to Bristol Airport long stay and Premier Park procedures

If you are using Bristol Airport long stay or Premier Park for your airport parking, please be aware that the arrivals procedure has changed.

Both Bristol airport parking services use an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system so it is essential that you have entered the correct vehicle registration when you make your booking.

The arrivals procedure is now as follows:

Upon arrival at the car park entry barrier, the ANPR system will take a moment to read your vehicle’s registration. Touch the button on the machine to be issued with a ticket and to raise the barrier. Keep this ticket safe as you will need to insert it at the exit barrier upon leaving the car park.

It is advisable to bring a copy of your booking confirmation with you.

If the ticket issued on entry does not have your vehicle registration printed on the front, and instead contains the words “payment required”, upon your return please go to the Car Park Kiosk (manned kiosk situated adjacent to the exit barriers). Present your booking confirmation and entry ticket, which will then be validated for exit. The kiosk is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week.