A driver who booked a cheap parking deal at Stansted Airport through a price comparison website ended up hundreds of pounds out of pocket after the vehicle was damaged and the operator failed to pay parking fees.
The Incident
The reader paid £66 for a one-week meet and greet service booked via compareairportparkings.co.uk. Upon returning to the UK, they waited four hours before being told the car was ready. The vehicle had been in an accident, with repair costs quoted at £4,000. The short-stay car park had no record of the car leaving, resulting in a £477 parking ticket, later reduced to £250. A subsequent £100 penalty charge notice (PCN) from Stansted for breach of parking conditions also arrived. The booking company refunded the £66 fee but directed the reader to the operator, which is unresponsive. Police deemed it a civil matter.
Wider Issues with Parking Comparison Sites
Holidaymakers are warned that attractive parking deals on comparison websites may not be reliable. Some operators use generic, changing names and may be linked to the comparison sites themselves. Investigations by Which? found that unscrupulous outfits often park customers' cars on roadsides or in unpaid official car parks. Reviews report dirty or damaged vehicles, lost keys, and unexpected fees.
Complex Web of Companies
The reader's booking involved multiple entities: originally Swift Meet and Greet, with terms linking to Airport Parking Deals. Payment went to Travel Extra Deals (trading as compareairportparkings), which uses a contact email from another site, Parking4u. The booking was later amended to Nation wide Parking, but receipts named Safe Meet and Greet. The latter's website has since disappeared, making it nearly impossible to identify the contractual party.
Stansted's Response
Stansted initially claimed it could not help due to the third-party contract. However, after intervention, the airport cancelled the £100 PCN as a goodwill gesture. ANPR footage showed the car tailgated through the exit barrier after drop-off and returned before the flight landed. The parking fee was refunded. Stansted issued a cease and desist letter to Safe Meet and Greet for operating an unauthorised service and is liaising with trading standards. Essex trading standards declined to confirm an investigation, advising customers to contact Citizens Advice.
Advice for Travellers
Consumers should book directly through official airport websites and check independent reviews. However, the reader still faces the repair bill and potential insurance premium increases.
