Airport parking how do you do it?

[RacingSnake]

A very simple question probably. DH and I never fly. He now has to go to France at short notice for the weekend and will have to do so. He has booked a ticket online and checked in online and is now not sure how the parking works. He is flying from Bristol. Can you book parking online? Do you get some kind of ticket for it? Or do you just push a lot of pound coins in a meter when you turn up at 5 am?

Book it online. Google 'Bristol airport parking' and go from there. It is expensive but at least you know your car will be safe. When we did it from Heathrow a minibus, owned by the parking company took us from our car to the terminal. HTH.

yes you can book online, it is usually cheaper than turning up on the day. You get a confirmation email and print this out, then when you leave (back from France) you press the buzzer on the barrier, recite your confirmation number and they let you out. They are manned 24-7. You get a courtesy bus from car park to terminal and these run about every 10 mins. It is a doddle. I don't use Bristol airport much but if you look on their website you will find links to parking. Also purple parking, NCP and others all have sites. One thing to watch out for is to make sure you book on-site parking rather than off-site (although off site is usually cheaper) because the transit time is often longer.

Is there an APH parking place near Bristol? They normally cost about £40 for a week, you drive there and park. Then they will drop you off at the airport in a minibus and pick you up on return.

Definitely book online - so much cheaper than paying there and then

Thanks, will try this!

Airport Tavern is much much much cheaper than on airport and a bit closer!

Minibus takes you to the airport (2 minutes) picks you up when you return and your car is waiting for you.

www.airporttavern.co.uk/

Much cheaper online. I havn't used Bristol for a while but found parking there cheaper than Gatwick

I've just looked up prices for Gatwick for January and my usual car park is FULL [SHOCK]

We don't. It's often the same or cheaper to book a cab, and you don't have the worry of what might happen to your car in the supposedly 'secure' longterm carpark.

Cab from home? That is about 2 hours' drive; probably not cheaper. (Although I hadn't thought of it.)
Looking at Airport Tavern as well, thanks. Don't feel quite so ignorant now.

Get some quotes. There are companies that specialise in airport journeys.
Google 'airport cabs' - you can get online quotes.

The last time we used one for a 1.5h journey, it still worked out cheaper and more convenient than self-drive and parking. Especially when you have to set off at god-forsaken o'clock in the morning!

With Bristol if you join (for free) their loyalty scheme you get a discount that makes the premium parking (right next to the terminal) cheaper than the standard parking (which is still fairly close to the terminal).

You could try this page, which has a couple of links on for BAA and APH Airport Parking.

Hope they help.

Thanks everyone. Having studied all your advice, dh has plucked up courage and booked parking online. He is very impressed that the barrier will know his debit card! (We don't get out much. ) Now, if only I could pluck up courage and actually get on a plane ....

Erm - at Bristol it might not - the system was broken down last time I went thrugh causing chaos with dribvers having to jump out to go into get the barrier raised byt eh very harrassed man sitting there.

Oh dear. Fingers crossed for tomorrow morning then.

A little late but for future reference - we use Purple Parking at various airports - book in advance online and you get a hefty discount if your're a RAC member. If we're travelling as a family, we use the meet & greet service and avoid the courtesy shuttle bus totally. The RAC member discount make this service cheaper than the standard shuttle bus route price which is great with young children. HTH

I have always found the cheapest places to park are hotels on a stay and fly basis.