Airport parking...would you do this?
Discussion
So, you're going on holiday, it's an early flight, and you book one of these "stay 1 night and park for 7" deals at a well-known airport hotel chain. There's not much of a description on the website or Ts&Cs, so you assume you just park, and that's it.
So you arrive, choose a suitable space in their large car park for your P&J where it's unlikely to get dinked by some moron opening their doors into it. However, when you go into reception, you are suddenly presented with the following info...
-You have to hand your keys over
-Your car will be moved into storage and brought back prior to your return
-No responsibility will be accepted for any loss of damage unless it was due to actual negligence on their part
-No responsibility will be accepted for tyre damage at all
-The parking, although onsite, is NOT secure
-I was expected to sign a damage walk around form when no-one was available to do a walk-round with me prior to departure.
I told them to stuff it. I said I'd parked it where I wanted it, I said that nowhere on the website had it mentioned anything about giving my keys over when I booked, and I refused to give them my keys. On return, my car was predictably dink-free, and I was doubly glad that no-one had attempted to drive my RWD car anywhere around a very snowy car park!
Question, was I being a bit anal or would you have handed your keys over?
So you arrive, choose a suitable space in their large car park for your P&J where it's unlikely to get dinked by some moron opening their doors into it. However, when you go into reception, you are suddenly presented with the following info...
-You have to hand your keys over
-Your car will be moved into storage and brought back prior to your return
-No responsibility will be accepted for any loss of damage unless it was due to actual negligence on their part
-No responsibility will be accepted for tyre damage at all
-The parking, although onsite, is NOT secure
-I was expected to sign a damage walk around form when no-one was available to do a walk-round with me prior to departure.
I told them to stuff it. I said I'd parked it where I wanted it, I said that nowhere on the website had it mentioned anything about giving my keys over when I booked, and I refused to give them my keys. On return, my car was predictably dink-free, and I was doubly glad that no-one had attempted to drive my RWD car anywhere around a very snowy car park!
Question, was I being a bit anal or would you have handed your keys over?
We only use the shopping cart for airport stuff, so I would have taken a photo of each side of car, and mileage and handed over the keys if they provided a receipt.
Just because they say they aren't liable, doesn't mean they aren't - if they are taking your property, they have a duty of care.
Just because they say they aren't liable, doesn't mean they aren't - if they are taking your property, they have a duty of care.
I had that back in the summer. Fortunately I was in the snotter (£400 Audi A3) because I was half expecting it. I left the keys without fuss - if they want to take my car on an epic road trip and use it to pick up coke addled w
es from the West End, they're welcome. But I expect they'll choose someone else's motor first. As for dinks, dents, scratches and tyre wear - again, in the snotter I couldn't care less.
When I don't have the snotter as 'spare' transport, I find that one way car hire to the airport works out well - often as cheap as parking and I don't have a car to worry about.
es from the West End, they're welcome. But I expect they'll choose someone else's motor first. As for dinks, dents, scratches and tyre wear - again, in the snotter I couldn't care less.When I don't have the snotter as 'spare' transport, I find that one way car hire to the airport works out well - often as cheap as parking and I don't have a car to worry about.
Had one of these at a major chain hotel in Gatwick a few years ago. Didn't care much about leaving a Ford Galaxy under their control. But the fella complaining at reception when I returned to collect my keys after a week way was something of an eye opener. He'd left his brand new 5 series at the hotel with less than 100 miles on the clock and had returned to find it with several hundred miles added on.
Have to wonder about the stupidity of leaving the keys but all the same, pretty naughty of someone at the hotel to do that.
Have to wonder about the stupidity of leaving the keys but all the same, pretty naughty of someone at the hotel to do that.
OK cheers. They looked at me like I was some anally retentive moron and implied no-one had EVER refused to hand thier keys over before.
I was even starting to question my own judgement, and whilst my car is just my daily driver and repmobile, it's still a high-end 3 series, it's mine not company, and I will not hand over it's keys in exchange for a stack of get-out clauses and waivers.
One way car hire is a great idea, might try that next time!
I was even starting to question my own judgement, and whilst my car is just my daily driver and repmobile, it's still a high-end 3 series, it's mine not company, and I will not hand over it's keys in exchange for a stack of get-out clauses and waivers.
One way car hire is a great idea, might try that next time!
I once made the mistake of handing over my keys & never again!
Our flight was at night & got home approx 4am....
Once daylight had come I had realized that not only had my air freshener had been removed from the car, but there was also muddy footprints all over the rear seats! I rang them instantly & was told that nothing could be done because I had left the premises! I tried exlpaining that we landed at night etc but was told I should have checked the car over before I left the carpark. Ok perhaps I should have, but at that time of night & after a 6 hour flight, you just want to go home.
Our flight was at night & got home approx 4am....
Once daylight had come I had realized that not only had my air freshener had been removed from the car, but there was also muddy footprints all over the rear seats! I rang them instantly & was told that nothing could be done because I had left the premises! I tried exlpaining that we landed at night etc but was told I should have checked the car over before I left the carpark. Ok perhaps I should have, but at that time of night & after a 6 hour flight, you just want to go home.
I've never handed my keys over to parking people or to a hotel, and I never will.
I simply don't trust them and if it a snotter or a P&J it is mine and I don't want it treat like a piece of trash by someone on minimum wage who may lose my keys, mistreat it and could have left the car god knows where when I return.
I simply don't trust them and if it a snotter or a P&J it is mine and I don't want it treat like a piece of trash by someone on minimum wage who may lose my keys, mistreat it and could have left the car god knows where when I return.
The stories of valet parking are pretty horrific where they drive off in your car with the tyres screeching and then smack it into the kerb on return.
And that's when they know you're standing there watching them!
I tend to use the airport's own long-stay. Although I fretted the whole time I was away last time as it was all a bit of a panic and I'd dropped everyone else at the terminal and parked on my own, and was utterly convinced that I'd left the drivers window open after going through the entry barrier. I hadn't.
And that's when they know you're standing there watching them!
I tend to use the airport's own long-stay. Although I fretted the whole time I was away last time as it was all a bit of a panic and I'd dropped everyone else at the terminal and parked on my own, and was utterly convinced that I'd left the drivers window open after going through the entry barrier. I hadn't.
And all the above is why my Jeep, which although an EBay purchase is still my P & J will be parked in T3 business parking this afternoon & the keys firmly in my pocket until I get back Thursday eve!
The company choice is a well known colour for parking & I've used them twice & both times came away wondering why I bothered. SO never again I use the BAA car park deal finder & end up either in Business Parking, Business Plus or Short stay.
The company choice is a well known colour for parking & I've used them twice & both times came away wondering why I bothered. SO never again I use the BAA car park deal finder & end up either in Business Parking, Business Plus or Short stay.
There was an insightful thread about this a while back:
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff