Urgent warning for holidaymakers flying from Gatwick airport this summer

• Some cars have been returned damaged with more mileage on the clock
• Have YOU been a victim of rogue meet and greet parking attendants? Email [email protected]

Holidaymakers flying from one of Britain’s busiest airports have been warned to be wary of ‘meet and greet’ parking scams ahead of the summer holidays by the police.

According to Sussex Police, certain ‘rogue’ companies have been targeting unsuspecting victims at Gatwick Airport.

The force said vehicles had been returned damaged and even with more mileage on the clock.

Several reports claim jet-setters have also arrived back on British soil to find their vehicles had been parked in the wrong spot – leaving them lumbered with a huge bill.

Sussex Police have now urged the millions set to make their way through the airport to take care ahead of the bustling Summer.

Last year, Gatwick was Britain’s second busiest airport, with a staggering 40.9 million passengers traveling through the transport hub.

Sussex police revealed while there are many reputable companies, Sussex Police and West Sussex Trading Standards continue to receive regular reports from disappointed customers

‘As airports begin to get busier, it is important for motorists to check the reputation of the companies they are using,’ they said.

The force also reminded holidaymakers that not all companies listed are affiliated to London Gatwick – even if their name includes ‘Gatwick Airport’.

‘In recent years, we have had to deal with a number of rogue ‘meet and greet’ companies at the airport,’ said West Sussex Trading Standards team manager Richard Sargeant.

It can be very difficult for travelers to decide which parking operator is best to use when you go on holiday or business.

‘We would recommend travelers either park with Gatwick Airport directly or use a Trading Standards Approved business approved businesses.’

Gatwick Police Neighborhood Policing Team Inspector James Biggs also urged travelers to ‘do their homework’ before deciding on a ‘meet and greet’ parking service.

‘If you book through an online agent, you should be aware that your vehicle may be allocated to a number of companies on their books,’ he explained.

‘By doing your research you will be more confident to leave your vehicle with your chosen company and enjoy your travels.’

Oli Bedford, head of parking at London Gatwick, said: ‘We have no relationship with these rogue ‘meet and greet’ parking companies, even though many of them have ‘Gatwick’ in their company name.

‘Legally rogue firms can operate on the airport as long as they do not break our by-laws.

‘If passengers are considering using an off-airport meet and greet parking provider, they should check that they have a good reputation on Trustpilot, Trip Advisor or any other reliable means. The British Parking Association also has some good advice.

‘For complete piece of mind, I would however strongly recommend that passengers use official on-airport parking.’

The new warning comes after a businessman used dummy testimonials and cut-and-pasted terms of service to promote his £1.4 million airport parking scam in 2016.

Asad Malik, 43, used a photo of a hospital 400 miles away to trick travelers at Gatwick Airport into thinking their cars would be safe before dumping them in muddy fields, petrol stations.

The businessman and his company London Parking Gatwick Ltd were found guilty of misleading customers at Brighton Crown Court.

Malik was sentenced to 14 months in prison and was also disqualified from being a director after the scam was investigated by West Sussex Trading Standards.

The company promised that all cars left with them would be parked in a ‘secure compound’. However, it was revealed that vehicles were being parked in a nearby field.

The 37-year-old convinced customers their cars would be safe by showing them a picture of Borders General Hospital car park in Melrose, Scotland 400 miles away.

They thought their vehicles were being kept safe with valet cleaning facilities and 24-hour CCTV supervision.

Reports in 2016 to West Sussex Trading Standards suggested that over 1,000 cars were being parked in Bonnetts Lane.

Officers with Trading Standards visited both Bonnetts Lane and Keepers Knight in July 2016 and confirmed that the company had been using these areas to park the cars.

Some vehicles left in the fields had been left unlocked with their windows open and keys placed on the windscreen.

This is while others were damaged and had been issued with parking tickets