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Original poster

Stansted airport parking - I am an idiot

98 replies

researchandbiscuitfan · 21/08/2018 06:46

For the first time ever I haven’t noted down or photographed where the car is in Stansted mid stay and I have no memory of it. Our flight gets in late and I’m faced with trawling kids round most of the car park before a 3 hour drive (then I have to get up at crack of dawn for an early hospital appt). I know we weren’t in the early letters, but I can’t even find what letter the car park goes up to online.

I am such a fool. There’s nothing I can do here beyond trawl each letter once I arrive, is there? No clue where to get off the bus for the airport or anything 😩

OP posts:
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Original poster
researchandbiscuitfan · 21/08/2018 06:48

I’m the only grown up in the family since DH died so I have to remember flipping everything. Kids are only little. Still, no excuse for being such a numpty.

OP posts:
BritInUS1 · 21/08/2018 06:48

Oh no what a pain ! I always write mine on the ticket as I have a memory like a sieve

Don’t suppose your phone would help would it? My iPhone shows me where my car is parked

Snorfig · 21/08/2018 06:51

You poor sausage. This happened to me in Nottingham once and I scoured the wrong floor of a multi-storey for an hour. The staff finally took me in their little buggy and we found my car on a different floor. Not my finest hour.
Sending love and a virtual hot cup of coffee/tea.

TheFifthKey · 21/08/2018 06:51

How little is little? My DC are small but DS has a surprisingly good memory and they could probably say “we got on the bus there” or “we were near that big van”, if not tell me the zone number. And you never know which of them was staring dopily right at the sign while you were lugging cases out of the boot.

theunsure · 21/08/2018 06:52

Oh gosh, nothing practical to offer sorry. Hopefully when you return something might jog your memory?

My car has a location thingy plus an app so I can always find it. Necessary for me as I am somone who loses it often! And I have no DC and a DH to lean on.

I wonder if you call the airport ahead they may have an idea to help? It must happen often!

lutjanus · 21/08/2018 06:52

Do that thing from TV where you close your eyes and start in your mind from before you arrived at the carpark to jog your memory. Think about what the weatehr temperature was like, how you felt, were you all arguing ;), and follow through until you get to parking the car and see if you can remember which way you went for the bus.

Failing that go to the carpark help point straight away and tell em you arrived on XX date as I suspect the fill the lots sequentially and will know it was probably W lot and will prob drive you around to find car if you have kids. Must happen all the time.

twofloorsup · 21/08/2018 06:52

I do this all the time.
If you walk into each level and click your key remote it should flash your indicators if it's there.
That's what I do anyway Wink
(Start at the bottom and work up).

Livingthedream12345 · 21/08/2018 06:53

Which day did you arrive in the car park? When you arrive you are directed to an area with lots of spaces, this will narrow down the search area. Ask the staff at the entrance or the driver on the transfer bus.

Original poster
researchandbiscuitfan · 21/08/2018 06:55

I asked DC and they remember nothing 😭. We were all so intent on figuring out how to get to the Premier Inn.

Not sure how my iPhone could help??

OP posts:
KickBishopBrennanUpTheArse · 21/08/2018 06:58

I did this at Stansted once. Luckily I had 3 teens with me and we fanned out, took a row each and methodically worked our way along the car park. Took about 10 minutes. Keep pressing the key fob if you have one. At night the lights going on and off will help.

Also good idea to ring ahead. They might be able to help.

Good luck. Don't Let it ruin the rest of your holiday.

actualpuffins · 21/08/2018 06:59

Ach, no.

Have nothing useful to add but I do sympathise. I parked recently in Gatwick south terminal just for the day, and carefully noted the floor and location. On returning in the evening it was only then I realised that there are two car parks exactly the same, and which of these wasn't printed on the ticket. Of course I went to the wrong one first.

Original poster
researchandbiscuitfan · 21/08/2018 06:59

Ah thanks for more replies. It was Weds eve last week - really hard to find a space at all

OP posts:
itsoknottobeokok · 21/08/2018 07:01

Oh bless you, this happened to us once and now we always do meet and greet, I hope,you find it easily x

Ginorchoc · 21/08/2018 07:01

Oh no, last thing you need. Prize for child who finds the car? Agree looks of clicking on your remote to look for flashing indicators. You might remember entrances when you walk around.

Lonecatwithkitten · 21/08/2018 07:01

If you type car parked into maps on your phone it will have remembered where the car is.
As a single parent I took DD back and handed in the hire car at the wrong airport in Orlando. It happens it will be okay.

Original poster
researchandbiscuitfan · 21/08/2018 07:03

Thanks. I’m tired of being responsible for everything 😩 I’m clearly not that great at it. Next thing is I have to have an operation that’s going yes take me out of action for a fortnight and they say I should really have someone living with me for a week. Not going to happen. I’ll be begging and borrowing childcare left right and centre 😭.
Whinge complete. Back to nice holiday and counting blessings.

OP posts:
helterskelter99 · 21/08/2018 07:04

Ask the parking office the ticket will tell them where you came in or are parked they may have ANPR as well or cameras they can look at
They will be used to it

Original poster
researchandbiscuitfan · 21/08/2018 07:04

My phone doesn’t seem to remember anything. The Premier Inn is in Maps but nothing else

OP posts:
TheFifthKey · 21/08/2018 07:05

They won’t say they remember now! It’s a different world. They might remember when they get back in that situation though.

I’m a single parent so I know it’s hard travelling on your own with DC but try not to be anxious about this and let it spoil the end of your holiday. And - this is a tip from me who has learnt the hard way - don’t be afraid to play the “helpless hassled single parent card” and ask someone for help when you’re there. You’d be amazed at how helpful people are if you look like you might start to cry (I never do this for effect, it just comes naturally).

Fucksakewhatatwat · 21/08/2018 07:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MollyCule · 21/08/2018 07:07

Might be worth cslling them in advance, if you tell them when and what time you arrived at the carpark they might have a record of which zone they were directing people to. I'm sure it happens all the time!

PoppyPlum · 21/08/2018 07:07

When I open my phone maps app one of the first options it gives me is to navigate to "parked car". You could try if yours does the same. It's not something I ever programmed, it just started doing it.

LustyBusty · 21/08/2018 07:07

I lost my car at an airport recently, also having not photographed the location for the first time in ages! Not at Stansted admittedly but at that car park they drive round and log the reg numbers every 24 hours so they could point me to the rough area. Might be worth seeing if you could give them a call in advance?

LuluBellaBlue · 21/08/2018 07:08

Definitely ask for help before you arrive, it’s worth a try. Good luck

eurochick · 21/08/2018 07:08

Phone ahead. They usually only open one parking area for arrivals at a time, so they might be able to give you a letter based on when you came in to narrow it down.