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Original poster

AIBU to seek a partial refund over broken airport car park lifts?

32 replies

Ponderlife · 15/05/2026 08:40

Last week we flew back to Birmingham Airport. The two lifts to the car park were out of action. As we did the twilight drop off at the airport around 5pm the morning before our departure, we were able to use the stairs. Carrying our hand luggage.

Cue arriving back to the airport. By the time we got our suitcases from the carousel, it was 9pm. My DM has assistance. As unable to stand for long and struggles with moderate distance walking. She had a wheelchair

The lifts were still out of action. My DF and myself took the suitcases and hand luggage up two flights of stairs. Then assisted DM up the stairs. DM is ok with stairs if there is a handrail and steps are even.

We were not informed that the lifts were out of action. This will cause more inconvenience for others especially if they have been away for longer have more luggage.

Do you think that we should get a partial refund? Also we are complaining about the lack of signage to direct passengers to car parks from the terminal

OP posts:
PawMaw · 15/05/2026 08:56

Refund of what?

You haven't paid the airport anything so Im not sure what there would be to refund?

scalt · 15/05/2026 09:01

The (likely extortionate) car park fees, perhaps? And absolutely ask for a refund.

Octavia64 · 15/05/2026 09:04

I’m disabled and use a wheelchair.

you won’t get a refund on anything holiday related.

it’s possible you will on the car parking but unlikely.

the usual solution if the person in the wheelchair has someone with them is that the able bodied person goes up and drives the car to the pick up zone.

I have hired cars at airports before and assistance will if necessary take you right to the car OR drive the car to you.

ColdAsAWitches · 15/05/2026 09:13

The lifts were still out of action. My DF and myself took the suitcases and hand luggage up two flights of stairs. Then assisted DM up the stairs. DM is ok with stairs if there is a handrail and steps are even.

Why didn't you and your mother wait on the ground floor while your father went and got the car? There was no need for trying to get everyone and a wheelchair up two flights of stairs.

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 15/05/2026 09:33

You paid for parking
You were allowed to park
You had full access to your vehicle.
You didn't specify at the time of booking that you needed assistance for any member of your party.
You made things more difficult than they needed to be (as PP have said).

You're not entitled to any refund.

toomuchfaff · 15/05/2026 09:36

why didnt one of you able bodied go get the car (without luggage), and drive it somewhere accessible? Instead of all going to the car with luggage and disabled DM?

Fancyflapjack1 · 15/05/2026 09:36

would it not have made sense for one of you to drive the car down and the other to stay with mum and the cases rather than all trek up 2 flights?

CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 15/05/2026 09:38

Ponderlife · 15/05/2026 08:40

Last week we flew back to Birmingham Airport. The two lifts to the car park were out of action. As we did the twilight drop off at the airport around 5pm the morning before our departure, we were able to use the stairs. Carrying our hand luggage.

Cue arriving back to the airport. By the time we got our suitcases from the carousel, it was 9pm. My DM has assistance. As unable to stand for long and struggles with moderate distance walking. She had a wheelchair

The lifts were still out of action. My DF and myself took the suitcases and hand luggage up two flights of stairs. Then assisted DM up the stairs. DM is ok with stairs if there is a handrail and steps are even.

We were not informed that the lifts were out of action. This will cause more inconvenience for others especially if they have been away for longer have more luggage.

Do you think that we should get a partial refund? Also we are complaining about the lack of signage to direct passengers to car parks from the terminal

Also we are complaining about the lack of signage to direct passengers to car parks from the terminal

Now you're having a laugh.

I'm trying to think just how many people pass through BHX daily. And how many of those have struggled to find any of the car parks.

Though maybe I'm being unfair and, recently, they've made them particularly tiny, or transparent, or move them around on a daily basis.

Chewbecca · 15/05/2026 09:39

I would have waited with the cases whilst DH got the car.
YABU, sorry.

ILombardiallaPrimaCrociata · 15/05/2026 09:45

I’d file this under shit stuff happens and move on.

tiramisugelato · 15/05/2026 09:45

Why on earth did you make your poor mum walk up two flights of stairs instead of bringing the car to her?

soundof · 15/05/2026 09:47

why didn't one of you go and get the car and then pick up mum and the cases on the ground level?

Gigglegiggle · 15/05/2026 09:53

I'd have gone and got the car, drove it down and then put DM and cases in.

Unless you were a solo disabled driver who couldn't use stairs and therefore couldn't access your vehicle at all, I doubt you'll get anything back.

Lomonald · 15/05/2026 09:59

I don't think you will get anything, t he assistance person could have waited with your mum and cases and gone to get the car. You were all very accommodating i mean you could have said no mum couldn't get up the stairs, put it down to a bad experience complain if you want but I don't think they will compensate maybe give you a good will voucher off future parking if you are lucky.

Tessasanderson · 15/05/2026 10:14

Owt for nowt.

A bit of common sense and this isnt even an issue. Sorry things break and it can be an inconvenience. Use it as a learning experience that in the future you should think a bit more clearly to save issues.

zingally · 15/05/2026 10:34

ColdAsAWitches · 15/05/2026 09:13

The lifts were still out of action. My DF and myself took the suitcases and hand luggage up two flights of stairs. Then assisted DM up the stairs. DM is ok with stairs if there is a handrail and steps are even.

Why didn't you and your mother wait on the ground floor while your father went and got the car? There was no need for trying to get everyone and a wheelchair up two flights of stairs.

That seems the most obvious solution... Pick up/drop off zones exist for a reason.
I get that though, in a pinch, tired after a flight, people don't necessarily think it through all the way.

Original poster
Ponderlife · 15/05/2026 11:54

ColdAsAWitches · 15/05/2026 09:13

The lifts were still out of action. My DF and myself took the suitcases and hand luggage up two flights of stairs. Then assisted DM up the stairs. DM is ok with stairs if there is a handrail and steps are even.

Why didn't you and your mother wait on the ground floor while your father went and got the car? There was no need for trying to get everyone and a wheelchair up two flights of stairs.

We were unsure of where to best place DM as the one way system may have taken us. Couldn’t stop on the road as it’s a no stopping zone.

Plus the whole of Birmingham airport has poor signage.

As a PP said tiredness of travelling and want to go home.

I bet others would have done similar

OP posts:
Shocke · 15/05/2026 12:13

Don’t be daft. You don’t need to “place” her anywhere. One of you go for the car and bring it down to the level the others and the cases are on. Can not believe you dragged your mum up the stairs and now want compo 😂

Londonrach1 · 15/05/2026 12:14

One of you gets the car and stuffs it to the others

tiramisugelato · 15/05/2026 12:21

Ponderlife · 15/05/2026 11:54

We were unsure of where to best place DM as the one way system may have taken us. Couldn’t stop on the road as it’s a no stopping zone.

Plus the whole of Birmingham airport has poor signage.

As a PP said tiredness of travelling and want to go home.

I bet others would have done similar

Edited
Show quote history

No. If my mum was disabled and struggled with stairs there is no way I would make her haul herself up two flights of them when there were two perfectly able-bodied adults - one who could carry the luggage and get the car and one who could sit with her while she waited.

SeaToSki · 15/05/2026 12:23

I get the not wanting to risk being able to drive round to pick up DM if you left her. Often the walkway to the airport carpark from the terminal is nowhere near the exit and trying to find your way back there might have been a nightmare or even required exiting and reentering the car park.

I think you absolutely should get a partial refund for your car park fees as the advertised services were not available and/or not explained before entry.

Original poster
Ponderlife · 15/05/2026 12:57

tiramisugelato · 15/05/2026 12:21

No. If my mum was disabled and struggled with stairs there is no way I would make her haul herself up two flights of them when there were two perfectly able-bodied adults - one who could carry the luggage and get the car and one who could sit with her while she waited.

Show quote history

My DM isn’t disabled (has no blue badge) but has mobility issues. She is ok going using stairs.

The car park company or airport should have contacted us before our departure about the lifts being out of service and won’t be able to be fixed before we return.

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 15/05/2026 13:27

onward travel is not the airports responsibility. They won’t (and they shouldn’t) contact passengers because lifts in one of the car parks are out of order.

can you imagine how many emails that would generate?

also I am disabled and I can’t do stairs at all so no I would not have done similar.

i understand that it was a pain in the bum when you were just tired and wanted to get home.

navigating airports by car is tricky.

but it can be done and they are not going to offer you a refund.

Lomonald · 15/05/2026 13:40

Ponderlife · 15/05/2026 12:57

My DM isn’t disabled (has no blue badge) but has mobility issues. She is ok going using stairs.

The car park company or airport should have contacted us before our departure about the lifts being out of service and won’t be able to be fixed before we return.

Show quote history

So you just used the assistance to whizz through the airport then ? of course your mum is disabled she has mobility problems and up a couple of flights of stairs isn't going to help her mobility. The situation wasn't handled the best and now you seem to be scrambling for excuses, I have no idea what your blue badge references is about do you think they are a disability pass or something?

Eta I am disabled but walk i absolutely wouldn't have done the same and climb stairs.

whatcanthematterbe81 · 15/05/2026 14:35

lol