Meet & Greet Airport Parking - what to look out for

With the number of ‘Meet and Greet’ parking services at UK airports on the increase, how do you know you’ve made the right choice? While you leave your vehicle at an airport at your own risk, the British Parking Association provides a series of top tips to follow when selecting a Meet and Greet parking service.

Beware airport parking comparison websites

Searching for parking online is probably the first thing most people do. However, whilst some comparison websites display the Park Mark logo either on the home page, against parking operators they compare, or state that some of the parking companies listed have the award, these websites may not necessarily provide a full list for you to check which ones actually do.

Note - Park Mark is a registered trade mark and is awarded to the car park, not the organisation or operator, and the logo can only be displayed in the car park itself or in conjunction with the car park name by the operator. A comparison website has no authority to display the Park Mark logo.

You can check which operators have Park Mark on our dedicated website using the town and/or meet & greet or airport check boxes. The closest 10 will be displayed and the website is updated monthly so you can trust the information provided. N.B. Heathrow has more than 10 airport parking facilities with Park Mark so you may need to refine your search using the post code to find the one you are looking for.

Our “top tips” check list:

1. Check where the company will store your car. Can they point out their storage facility? If it is off site, and they usually are, can they tell you where it is, or show you a picture? Does the company own the storage facility?
   
2. Make sure you get a proper receipt. Check whether the receipt shows the company details – does the meet and greet company name match, and is the address right?
   
3. Are you doing business in a designated location – such as a stand at the airport or a kiosk in the vicinity of the airport? Not having premises is a sure-fire indication that something might not be right.
   
4. Ask whether the meet and greet car park has the Park Mark award. A Park Mark® is given to car parking facilities that have undergone an annual police assessment. To check, use the car park finder
   
5. Is the member of staff that greets you wearing an official uniform and carrying an ID badge? If so, check the ID badge – does it match up with the company you think you are dealing with, in the location you are at?
   
6. A genuine Meet & Greet car parking operator whose car park/s have been assessed by the police can display the logos legitimately. You can be confident that if the company you are considering is listed using the search function of the Park Mark website that the car parking firm and car park will be of a high standard.
   
7. To use the car park finder you can either type a location such as “Heathrow” or a post code and up to 10 sites will be displayed. You can scroll down the list using the bar on the right hand side. Alternatively, you can click the check box ‘near Meet and Greet’ or ‘near airport’ to refine your search.
   
8. Always check the terms and conditions of your meet and greet parking. All providers should display this on their websites.