Car parking at Leeds Bradford

[bangingmyheadoffabrickwall]

We're leaving for a week's holiday next week (me, DH, DS6, DD3 and MIL80) from Leeds Bradford.

MIL has a blue badge due to mobility issues.

Does anyone know how many blue badge spaces there are in the Long Stay car park and if these are 'usually' available?

Or is it easier for DH to drop us all off at the 'Terminal Front Express' (apparently given 30 minutes free as a blue badge holder), help us into the terminal and then park the car at Long Stay?

Advice much appreciated as never travelled with 2 young children AND a grandma before!

There is loads and there is some closer to the bus stop/airport too. I think when you book you just choose disable place on the booking. Don't forget you can't walk to the airport the shuttle bus will take you from the car park x

Can we not walk to the terminal building from the the express car park? It says 30 minutes free for blue badge customers. Is it not do-able?

Yes that would Prob be your best option to be honest. Get hubby to drop you out front then he his and parks car, just remember watching two kids excited for hols and poor Mum who may take a while with walking is stress within itself! Maybe get hubby to take one of the kids with him while you have one and Mum. But otherwise if you all go to the car park it's mainly by bus you can't walk it unfortunately. X

Drop off at LBA is very close to the terminal and a flat easy walk inside. Costs a couple of quid

The walk from the long stay is up a slight incline

Have you booked your parking yet? If you've booked the long stay (book in advance as it's much cheaper) your plan to use your free 30 mins to drop everyone off and then your DH goes to park the car is probably the easiest option.

Don't know about availability of blue badge spaces in the long stay, but I hate the long stay because you have to remember where you left your car when the bus goes round the car park.

When we fly from Leeds, we always use one of the off airport sites (Sentinel or Park2travel I think - book through moneysavingexpert or Holiday Extras or similar) and you leave the car in front of their office, and they take you to the terminal in a mini bus - they lift your luggage on and off the bus too. On the way back they collect you and take you back to your car. Whether that would work for you depends on whether MIL is able to get on and off a minibus.

I haven't lived in Yorkshire for many years, but when I did I often flew from Leeds Bradford. I always parked with Sentinel, and found them to be excellent - so if you do decide to get DH to drop you, kids and MIL at the terminal, then park elsewhere, they are definitely worth considering. You could always do the reverse on the way back too.

Thank you everyone! Advice much appreciated.

We have booked in advance with long stay. DH has said he will drop us off, we will queue (Jet2holidays so EVERYONE flying with them all check in with same desks - 4 flights that morning so chaos and long lengthy queues) whilst he and the 6 year old park the car. I actually suggested me take DS simply for company more than anything!

Never heard of the others but DH absolutely says no to leaving car and keys with a car parking firm. We have parked at LB before but obviously took no notice of Blue Badge facilities.

Hoping this time we get a parking space - May half term 2017 was horrendous - 30 minutes driving around and NO PARKING SPACE. We ended up parking slightly on the roadway/at the end of an aisle!

"but I hate the long stay because you have to remember where you left your car when the bus goes round the car park."

Yes, make sure you make a note of where you park the car. We returned on a late flight once and the bus drove us around several car parks before we found our car

"Hoping this time we get a parking space - May half term 2017 was horrendous - 30 minutes driving around and NO PARKING SPACE. We ended up parking slightly on the roadway/at the end of an aisle!"

If you pre-book a car parking space you will be guaranteed one. Why don't you do this? We pre-booked for May half term a few years ago and had no problem.

The Jet2 queues/check in system are pretty efficient, I wouldn't worry about that.

And the off site parking companies are fine, honestly, we've used them loads of times with no issues at all and they avoid the tearful arguments in the middle of the night in the long stay car park including the time when we forgot which car we had come in and were looking for the wrong one.

LoniceraJaponica we have pre-booked but the problem is that although you pre-book, the long stay car park does allow customers who haven't booked and pay on leaving. So in effect, they actually sell car parking spaces they cannot guarantee. Its a real pain in the .

Also just found out that Hall A was having some building work and BA, TUI and another airline were checking in, in Hall B which is 'exclusively' jet2. That was reportedly only until today so hoping back to normal next week otherwise it will be chaos and I will want to slit my throat

Oh dear. We are flying from LBA in July. Perhaps we should book offsite parking instead.

Yes, May half term was horrendous. We went bank holiday monday. This time it will be Tuesday.

We did park there in August 2012 and found a space with ease. I think it's just an increase in passengers. They did open an overflow bit but it was also full.
Luckily we came back to an undamaged car and judging by how others parked, we weren't the only ones. When we returned there was a vast number of car parking spaces available.

I think if they simply did pre-book only it would be a lot better but it's all about profit and they couldn't careless if they sold a car parking space that in effect we aren't getting.

I think we might just get a taxi instead.