8th May 2009 - by M. Felix
Gatwick Airport Parking - Cut The Stress By Parking Near
Gatwick
Gatwick Airport parking not only boasts over a dozen car parks,
but offers a wide range of parking facilities to help improve
the overall experience of departing or arriving at one of the
busiest airports in the country. Flying can be stressful at the
best of times, and you cut the stress by parking near Gatwick,
or at the airport itself.
In total the traveler choosing to fly from Gatwick has a choice
of over thirty different parking facilities, and these provide
a range of solutions to fit particular needs, preferences and
pockets. The first option, and the one which will need least
preparation or planning, is parking your car at the airport
with no prior booking arrangement in place. This is referred to
as either the airport drive on price of airport gate price, and
will be rather expensive compared to the wide range of bookable
facilities which could be arranged before you even leave home
or the office.
With airports, including Gatwick, continually expanding, the
available land for providing parking near Gatwick is becoming
increasingly under pressure, and with space a premium, prices
have risen to reflect this. As far as general Gatwick Airport
parking provision is concerned, you have a choice between three
main facilities: off airport parking, on airport parking and a
Meet and Greet service.
The off airport services, which include APH Gatwick, Courtlands
and Cophall Farm, are secure compound areas which provide a
level of security that is significantly higher than those found
within the airport itself. Typically you will be asked to leave
your keys at reception, and your car will then be parked for
you. This provides peace of mind in terms of security and
convenience, but with a greater distance to the airport itself,
this may be less convenient if you have a large amount of
luggage.
On airport parking includes the Summer Special facility, NCP
Flightpath and Parking Express South. These facilities are
quite large, and when you arrive you will be given a designated
area in which to park. It is wise to make a note of this area
in order to help locate the car at the end of your trip. You
will need to park your car yourself, and then use a transfer
coach to the airport terminal itself. A good tip is to drop off
family and luggage at one of these bus stops, and to then park
the car.
The Meet and Greet services available take parking your car at
Gatwick Airport to a new level of comfort, convenience and
peace of mind. These services reflect a growing demand amongst
both business passengers and holidaymakers for a service which
delivers maximum convenience.
The Meteor Meet and Greet and Cophall Farm are just two
examples of this service, and in all cases you will simply need
to drive straight to the terminal, and hand the keys over to a
driver who will park your car for you. At the end of the trip
the driver will return your car directly to the terminal
again.
These Gatwick airport parking services come at a price which is
higher than the standard services, but if you have a good deal
of luggage, or are in a hurry, have young children or find the
whole experience of airports quite stressful, then they are
certainly worth every penny. More on this service later.
It is worth being aware that a growing number of car parks at
Gatwick are charging for a minimum of three days parking. If
you are only going away for a day or two you may find it
cheaper to use the long stay car park which is closest to the
terminal itself.
The long term car park facilities are best booked in advance in
order to make significant cost savings. During the summer
months the airport is, quite naturally, very much busier than
during the winter, and using the long term car park or a Meet
and Greet or Valet service is beneficial.
The short stay car park prices, for both Gatwick North and
South Terminals, vary from £1 for the first 15 minutes to £8.80
for 3 4 hours. Between 18 24 hours expect to pay £17.90, with a
charge of £21 for every additional 24 hours.
There is also an option known as the fast track parking
facility which is useful if you are in a hurry. This is a more
expensive option, but highly valuable if you are late or simply
need to reach the terminal quickly. Expect to pay £14.60 for a
stay of up to 3 hours, and £22.40 for a stay of up to 12 hours.
Each 24 hour period after the first day is charged at
£27.80.
Clearly these prices reflect the need to consider pre booking
your parking, and this can easily be done online. If you re
spending time looking at online booking facilities for car
parking at Gatwick Airport, you might be interested to review
the Meet and Greet services, sometimes referred to as either
Valet Parking or Chauffeured Parking. Imagine arriving directly
outside the terminal, and being met by a driver who will help
you with your luggage, then drive your car to a secure
compound. If you are parking near Gatwick, you generally don t
have to pre book.
After your trip, your driver will meet you, with your car,
directly outside the terminal again, and will assist you with
any luggage. If you travel very frequently, are in a hurry,
have children, elderly passengers of anyone with any form of
disability, having a lot of luggage or simply want to be
pampered right from the start, this is certainly one of the
finest Gatwick Airport parking services offered. Searching for
your car amongst seemingly endless car parks at the end of a
holiday is not much fun, and at less than £80 for a week, it s
well worth considering.
Source: http://articlesabroad.com
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