Airport parking - Gatwick

[sandyballs]

Looking on the internet at Gatwick car parks, they want £88 - £100 for ten days parking! Does anyone know of a cheaper option, possibly in the one of the car parks on the outskirts.

I only live about a 25 minute drive from Gatwick so a cab would be cheaper but I am worried about car seats for my daughters - would have to use them but don't want to take them on holiday (doubt if the plane would allow two big car seats). The type of seat they now use (at 3.5 years) has the removable back so they can sit on just a booster seat eventually, but is that a bit dangerous at their age, i.e. without the strap support over their shoulder.

Views of you wise ladies would be much appreciated.

SB,

We have travelled to Gatwick a number of times in a cab - we used the booster seat bit for DS both in the taxi and on the plane. Not sure what you mean about the straps because he was still securely strapped in - just a little less side impact protection from the top bit.

I couldn't find any cheaper parking and would love to know if there is some for future reference.

HTH

If you look at the baa site and the car park calculator there, I've found a few around £60 for 10 days.

Alternatively if you try a smaller cab outfit, I've had one that was happy to take our car seats and store them (obviously we had to be picked up by them as well).

Yes - ask the cab company if they can store the seats for you and then bring them when they come to pick them up - worth phoning them on tyhe morning of return tho - ours nearly forgot them!

DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT be tempted to book the cheaper parkign which is called something like 'Summer Special Parking'.... it is simply MILES away, and the courtesy bus didn't even go from North terminal (where we flew into) so we had to take all our luggage and the kids on a trolley and the shuttle to South Terminal in order to get on a bus which them drove back past North terminal...... Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

We usually finf that it's cheaper to stay overnight at one of the hotels which includes parking, than it is to pay the airport parking chages. Superbreak have some good deals usually.

Have to say that for the last year we've actually been booking the "Short stay" car-parks on-line. It's at least half-price via BAA, and so convenient esp in the early hours - just park and its 2 mins to the terminal, no faffing with coaches etc. Usually it is about £20 more than the other car parks but worth it IMO (but still have one in a buggy). North terminal parking is more tricky - the short term car park is very old, and modern cars just simply don't fit. Don't park there if you value your paintwork!

Ooh - LadyMuck - how do you do that then? Book on-line? That had passed us by.... what's the web address.... PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE...

What about considering 'Meet and Greet' parking. So you just turn up to departures in your own car - hand over the keys to a chaffeur who drives it off-site to a secure compaound. Then on return - ring them from luggage collection and by the time you get through customs, etc. your car (with carseats, etc.) is waiting for you right outside arrivals ! Have done this now twice with dd - who is currently 10 months old. Saves so much hassles with the whole car seat thing and also - how to carry all your luggage, plus child(ren) onto the bus when there are only 2 of you. It's not cheap but definitely favourably comparable to long stay parking. Think we paid about £78 pounds for 8 days last time and given the reduction in hassle factor (time and sheer effort), it was worth every penny.

If you do a search on google for meet and greet parking at Gatwick, there are a number of sites that will do you a quote and you can book on-line.....

Mo2, its here - just try out the car park quote option. It will bring up the short stay car park (as well as valet options!) as well as the long-term options. For a week in August it comes to about £66, but then the cheapest alternative on the long-term side is still £49. For us its been a godsend with a 3 yo and infant still in buggy - not fun trying to fold down buggy and load kids, luggage etc onto car park coach to the terminal - esp when we have to check-in at 4am (Mark Warner holidays are great if you ignore a) lousy check-in times and b) a crazy deaprture sysem at Kos airport).