If you were wondering what makes meet and greet parking with Ace Parking so essential, compared to normal airport parking, we’ve rounded up 10 reasons.

• Meet & Greet is convenient – Step straight from your car into the terminal. We′ll make sure you start and end your trip with reliable collection and drop-off at your convenience.
• Meet & Greet is cost-effective – None of your extra holiday money needs to be spent on transfers, buses, trains to and from the airport (That’s for your enjoyment when you get to your destination!)
• Meet & Greet is safer – Our valet parking locations are purposed parking facilities that are permanently monitored to ensure complete security of all vehicles stored there. One of the other safety features of meet and greet valet parking applies to the driver themselves – arriving late at night as a traveller alone, or with children, you don′t have to worry about navigating to your car buried deep in some dark corner of a basement car park. With our valet parking at UK airports, your car will be ready, waiting and warm / cool for you to get straight into and drive away
• Meet & Greet is perfect for those less physically abled – For those with disabled cars, or who need special assistance, Meet & Greet is vital. This is the most convenient way to travel in your own equipped car, and be picked up by it too.
• Meet & Greet is better for families – Families come with more bags, and more little people. Lugging kids and luggage on public transport or on transfers can start your getaway negatively by causing unneeded stress. Simply drive the whole family to the airport, and we’ll take care of the rest.
• Meet & Greet is quicker – Got out of that meeting late? Stuck in traffic on the way? If you then have to park your car and get transfers, it’s pretty likely that you’re going to miss your flight. For those with little extra time on their hands, meet & greet is the only one for you.
• Meet & Greet is warmer! – It’s a common story – get off the plane when you touch down in blustery Britain and you wish you hadn’t still got your flip flops and t-shirt on as it’s pouring with rain or snow. How good would it be to come out of the terminal and be met by your own, pre warmed vehicle ready to get home?
• Meet & Greet is cheaper than you might think – Ace Parking is 2012’s parking website of the year, and our quick and easy quotes come with a price match guarantee. You won’t find cheaper, and if you do, we’ll match it!
• Meet & Greet is fully insured – Our fully comprehensive insured drivers will take excellent care of your car, with a commitment to provide customers with a consistent, reliable and quality service whether travelling for business, pleasure long or short stays.
• Meet & Greet is quick and easy to book – The whole process is quick, simple and straightforward – book online in 3 steps or make one call to activate your meet and greet airport parking. On your departure day we′ll be there to collect your car from the drop-off point at your Terminal, and there again when you step out of the airport on your return.

Is parking your car at the Airport the cheapest option?

Many might think that airport parking is the most expensive option when deciding how to get to the airport and in some cases, that’s true. If you simply arrive at any UK airport and park without booking, in their Airport Parking spaces on site, it could end up costing more than your break away!

However, not ALL airport parking is expensive, and after working out all the additional costs for public transport, airport transfers or taxis; pre-booking your parking with Ace Parking could actually be the cheapest, and by far the easiest option.

There are many ways to get to the UK airports. Below we’ll go through some options, and give you rough costing; so you can see just how much you could save yourself.

Getting to your Airport by Train / Rail – From £8 one way (if booked in advance) 

• There are often dedicated rail station at Airports, such as Gatwick and Stansted, that run regularly to nearest cities and towns.
• They are often fast, and reliable, but if not booked way in advance the price will not be as low as hoped.
• This could be a great option for the single traveller with little baggage
• For families, groups, disabled people or the elderly; carrying luggage through busy stations is not ideal
• The price per person will also really add up.
• Onward travel prices from other main stations will range massively depending where you are going in the UK and what mode of transport you will then take.
• All in all, it will most probably b e one of the most expensive options.

Getting to the Airport by Coach – From £5 one way

• Although the slowest option, there are a few companies that run frequent coaches from major UK cities and Towns to airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham and more.
• National Express is the UK’s largest coach company, and serves most of the airports. Visit them at www.nationalexpress.com to see their destinations. Prices from around £8 one way
• Megabus are the 2nd most popular airport coach company, and again serve many airports around the UK. Visit them at www.megabus.com
• Easybus are fast becoming a contender to the coach industry with super low airport coaches from as little as £2, if booked way in advance of course. www.easybus.com
• Terravision are another new(ish) coach company, and again they too are really well priced. Find them at www.terravision.eu
• Coaches may be cheap if you live near the departure and pick up points, but are they reliable in say, heavy London traffic when you have to catch that flight? What’s more, lugging around all your baggage and children on board may create a whole lot of stress before you even get to the airport.

Taking a Taxi To The Airport

• This will usually by far be the most expensive option, but again its all depending where you are coming from.
• Huge bonus if you live right next to an airport (for travel reasons!)
• If you’re in central London or anything over 30 minutes away it will be costly (We definitely wouldn’t want to be stuck in a black cab running on meter in standstill on the M25 or central London!)
• They may be convenient, and there will be an abundance of them waiting just outside arrivals for you; it’s whether you are able to pay such a high price for that convenience.

Driving your car to the Airport

We’d probably all agree that packing your suitcases and family / friends into your own car, and driving directly from your homes to the airport is probably the easiest and most convenient way to get to the airport. You’ll arrive together, excited, and ready for your trip ahead. However, many follow the myth that airport parking prices are the most expensive way to get to the airport.

Airport Parking Options

Onsite Airport Parking – Anything from £15-£40 p/d

• Onsite airport airport parking approx. £15-£40 p/d depending on the airport.
• Advantages – On site / some spaces could be near to the departure area / internal transfers
• Disadvantages – More expensive / still have to transfer or walk in the darker hours to your car / hefty charges if flights delayed / handling children & luggage

Park & Ride airport parking from approx. £9 p/d if long stay:

• Just on the outskirt boundaries of the airports, Park & Rides allow you to park your car, then jump on a transfer / shuttle to the departure area.
• Advantages – Mostly safe / better value than onsite / quite close to the airport Disadvantages – Still have to transfer / shuttle in the darker hours to your car / hefty charges if flights delayed / excess baggage a pain to haul around / handling children & luggage

Offsite airport parking (From £8 p/d ):

• Car Park out of the Airports boundaries such as a surrounding hotel.
• Advantages – Often cheaper than offsite
• Disadvantages – Safety / Transfer time & cost to the airport / Baggage having to be hauled around / handling children & luggage

Then there’s us, Ace Meet & Greet  Valet airport parking, from just £5.99 p/d:

• Not only do we have a price match guarantee, so if you beat our price for the same service you get the parking free.
• Arrive at the airport and be greeted by experienced, professional uniformed drivers with ID. They’ll safely park your car for you in 24/7 surveillanced car parks, and return it to you when you land.
• No messing on public transport, no paying extortionate fees in taxis, no wondering around looking for your car in the dark car parks in the middle of the night.
• Perfect for families, the elderly, those in need of special assistance, business travellers, school & sports groups. It’s the least stressful and easiest way to park at most Airports, and believe it or not, one of the cheapest ways too.

Whether you’re a frequent flyer, or a first timer, it can be the quickest and easiest way to get to that holiday of a lifetime, that swift city break, that European festival, or that business meeting which could make or break your career – IF it goes as planned, without any airport hitches. Many things can happen to hinder your trip that are out of your control such as delayed / cancelled flights, and other issues that, without proper preparation, could cause those all too common Airport Hassles.

Whether it’s organizing documents, dealing with missed connections, incurring expensive airport parking charges or getting through security, this guide will provide you with top airport tips, to make your trip as stress-free as possible, so you can concentrate on what’s really important – getting to your destination.

 Before you fly

As the scouts say – be prepared. Here’s a check list of things to prepare before your trip

• Check In online –available with most airlines for up to 4 hours before your flight
• Check you have correct /adequate travel insurance
• Visa’s – Use the www.fco.gov.uk official website to check visa / entry requirements as well as any weather / safety warnings.
• Check www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk for any jabs / medication required for your destination
• Nearest British embassy details – Keep these in case you encounter any issues whilst away
• Familiarise yourself with your destination with travel sites such as www.tripadvisor.co.uk or a lonely planet, so you can make the most of your time there.
• Pack smart & light – proper packing preparation, & checking bagging restrictions with your airline, will ensure you don’t get charged hefty amounts for oversized baggage
• Check Airport Traffic with Apps like Live traffic Info from the Highway Agency to avoid traffic jams en route to the airport
• Familiarise yourself with the language with smartphone Apps such as Lonely Planet Translators
• Check your destinations currency, familiarise yourself with it, and check current conversions on www.xe.com

Airport Parking 

Frustrating, expensive, non-secure, too far from the airport? – All common airport parking hassles. Luckily this is something you will not experience at many UK Airports now, with the marvellous meet & greet service from Ace Parking. It is a simple and efficient service in which a fully insured chauffeur driver will meet you at your Terminal to collect your car from you at a pre-arranged time that′s determined by YOU.

• Drive your own car directly to the airport
• No need to find us
• No need to drag cases / children on airport transfers
• No solo travellers searching huge car parks in the dark hours
• Get off the plane, walk out the airport & jump straight into your pre-warmed car
• Completely safe & secure parking, that is monitored around the clock
• Professional, well-mannered valets
• Reliable 24/7 Service
• Cheap Airport Parking – Price match guarantee.

Organising Documents

• Make copies of your documents & keep separately / with family in case something is lost.
• Passport – make sure its valid, not damaged, and has any required visa’s to your destination
• Visa’s – Use the www.fco.gov.uk official website to check visa requirements and any weather / safety warnings.
• Itinerary – Check all personal / travel details correct.
• Special needs – Be sure to arrange all special meals, extra legroom, wheelchairs.
• Accumulate all your travel itineraries on sites like Tripit – ‘A handy all-in-one app that collates all your holiday and flight confirmation emails into one travel itinerary’

Travelling with children

• Use Ace Parking’s Meet & Greet service for your Airport Parking – so you can go straight into the airport, avoiding hauling suitcases & tired children onto airport transfers, or finding your car in the middle of the night
• There are many travel solutions for children – try sites like Hippy Chick to find great products to keep your little ones entertained
• Make sure any food / bottles are 100ml or less to get through airport security
• Prepare your children for your holiday with some fun tasks like exploring maps, reading books, watching films on the history, animals, food & plant-life of the destination. Or to get them excited, have a countdown chart to the departure day.

Boredom

• It is essential to arrive at the airport early to avoid any airport hassles that may come up, but when things run smoothly, you may have at least a couple of hours to kill.
• Airports usually have a whole host of things to do, eateries and places to shop.
• Give yourself something to do – be it working on your laptop, reading with a Kindle, a book / magazine, or a good old fashion pack of cards!

Missed / Delayed / Cancelled flights

• Check the status of your flight before you leave for the Airport – This can be on the airport website, or there are fab apps like Live traffic Info from the Highway Agency.
• If you miss your flight, or it is cancelled – Search for a new one with the super Skyscanner app.
• If your flight is delayed / cancelled – check with your airline for any food / hotel vouchers, and new flight bookings

Getting to the airport, Terminals & navigating around the airport

• You will find all directions, airport maps, airport services and more travel information for each particular Airport on their individual pages.

Security

• Security at airports has tightened significantly since the events that took place on 9/11. If you haven’t flown since then, or you’re a first time flyer, it is essential that you are aware of airport security procedures, so you can sail through, and not cause unnecessary delays for yourself and /or your family. We have dedicated a whole page to security at airports, offering dos and don’ts and general security tips.

Security at airports has tightened significantly since the events that took place on 9/11. If you haven’t flown since then, or you’re a first time flyer, it is essential that you are aware of airport security procedures, so you can sail through, and not cause unnecessary delays for yourself and /or your family. Please use this as a guide only, and check the Airports websites for more information.

Security assistance lanes

• Many Airports have introduced assistance lanes for those with reduced mobility, or who may be travelling with young children, to help get through security easily, and more conveniently. Be sure to look out for the assistance lane signs.

Body Scanners

• You may be required to be screened using body scanning equipment. These Body Scanners are there to provide you with an extra layer of security, and are completely safe to passengers.
• They have been accepted by the Government and introduced to, not only Gatwick Airport, but most airports around the UK.
• Please see Gatwick Airports full information of body scanners here – http://www.gatwickairport.com/Documents/Bodyscan_leaflet.pdf

Passport control

• Passport Control is the first step for all passengers upon arriving at the Airport, unless you have a connecting flight.
• You must get into the correct queues for either:
• European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), British nationals and Swiss nationals – (If you hold an EU, EEA or Swiss passport)
• Other nationalities – (Non EU/Non EEA passport holders)
• Please have your passport ready on the page that bears the photograph
• Please ensure that all Visa, and entry cards are filled out correctly
• You will be met at the passport desk by a UK Border Agency officer, who will need to be shown your passport, and any other supporting travel documents.
• Please remember that your passport must be within date, and must not expire during your visit.
• If you are on an international connecting flight, you will not need to clear passport control / customs
• If you are on an international to UK / IRE connecting flight, you will need to clear passport control / customs
• Please visit the UK Border Agency Website, for full details and more information on entry requirements.
• e-Passports
• Some airports have the facilities to accept the new chipped EU Passports. If you hold one of these chipped Passports, are 18 years old or over, you may use the e-passport gates where you simply scan your passport upon arrival.

Duty Free / Customs

Every passenger arriving in the UK has to clear Customs. Three general rules from most Airports are;

• Never carry anything into the UK for somebody else
• Never bring prohibited goods into the UK. If in doubt, ask at the Customs information point.
• If you are unsure about your duty/tax free entitlement, go to the Customs information point.
• There are three different channels at customs;
• Red – For all passengers with goods to declare
• Green – If your journey began in a country outside the EU, and you have nothing to declare. Your hold baggage will / may have a white tag.
• Blue – If your journey started in an EU country, and you have nothing to declare. .
• For more information please visit the HM Revenue & Customs website.

Customs allowances

• Each country has different Duty Free Allowances. It is very important that you check what they are before flying, if you intend to bring back cigarettes, perfumes, alcohol and more – If you exceed the allowances outlined, customs officers have the right to confiscate items, without return or compensation, and you may even face a fine.
• Gatwick Airports website has a great tool, which allows you to easily check your allowances for your particular country / destination – Please use it before you travel http://www.gatwickairport.com/check-in-security/customs/customs-allowances

Know your rights.

• There are many policies lay out by the airport, and your airline, but please be aware you do have your own rights as a traveller too. If you feel you have been violated in any way, visit the Civil Aviation Authority website who offer consumer protection information for the air passenger, whilst also offering full advice on your legal rights whilst flying.

Finally – Be nice to your airline staff at the Airport.

It is very easy to get frustrated at the airline, cabin, security and counter staff at the airport if things go wrong like cancelled flights. Please remember that all these airport staff are doing their jobs, and are there to help you, and are people just like you. In stressful airport situations, try and be as understanding as possible – This will not only help things get resolved, but the staff will notice, and appreciate your manner, and be far more willing to help. So be nice!