Drop off Gatwick

[Ray B]

Just arranging to be dropped off at Gatwick North Terminal on Thursday. Now I don't know if this is new, but being dropped at the terminal costs £5 for 10 minutes and £1 pound per minute up to £25 thereafter. Never paid before at South Terminal, so is this a new charge? It seems every way you turn nowadays some one is ready to relieve you of your money.
You can park for nothing at the outlying car parks and get the free bus to the terminal .
I'm going to have to stump up for the convenience.

[david63]

Paying to be dropped off is common at most airports these days, or at least was pre Covid.

I believe one of the reasons is to try and reduce congestion at the drop off point.

[Ray B]

I can understand that, but I have been through South drop-off no charge. I suspect it is relatively new.

[Stephen]

Paying to be dropped off is common at most airports these days, or at least was pre Covid.

I believe one of the reasons is to try and reduce congestion at the drop off point.

Nothing to do with making a packet of the passenger then.

[Manoverboard]

We used to stay overnight at the Gatwick Sofitel and then either walk else get the train to the Terminal, either way expensive but easy peasy.

[CaroleF]

In the end that's what we did too. We tried parking at Gatwick and having to get the coach to the terminal which meant humping the cases on and off the coach. Then we tried Meet and Greet which wasn't too bad but we still went up the night before and stayed at the Sofitel. John would have been happy to leave home at 3am to go to Gatwick but I vetoed that idea - too much worry about breakdowns, traffic accidents holding up traffic etc. Then eventually we just got a taxi from home to Gatwick, stayed at the Sofitel the night before and just walked through to the terminal in the morning, very easy and it meant that the holiday started as soon as we were picked up from home.

Carole

[Manoverboard]

... very easy and it meant that the holiday started as soon as we were picked up from home.

Carole

Absolutely, it also meant an evening meal in the Hotel or for a change within the Terminal complex.

[Ray B]

Moby, at present there is no chance for a meal in the terminal land side, the only place open is The Nicholas Culpeper pub and that closes at 5pm according to Gatwick airport site. Hotels look the only option on site.
Car drop off charges came into force during 2021 apparently.
Still, we are getting the train to go back home, with a change at Cambridge.

[Kendhni]

We usually stay at the Hampton by Hilton in the North terminal. The food is OK for a quick stay.
Early start in the morning to get across to the test site ... I would be interested in hearing any tips you might have for that.

[Ray B]

Hi Ken,we are staying there for the first time, normally we stay at the Hilton South Terminal as the valet parking is is conveniently positioned between hotel and terminal. Best tip I can offer, don't oversleep.
We seem to be accruing a wad of paperwork for Friday and we still have a couple of Covid 19 tests to take starting tomorrow.

[Kendhni]

'wad' is an understatement. I have uploaded most of it to both our phones, but still have about 30 pages of documents ... and I still have to print out etickets, luggage labels not forgetting Health declaration, Barbados immigration, PLF, PCR tests and antigen tests still to come. I was laid up with a bad cold for much of last week, doing lateral flow tests every day and dreading it in case one came back positive ... fortunately all negative.

With trying to sort out all that paperwork, I nearly forgot to apply for my shareholder onboard credit.

[Stephen]

Is it all worth it I’m asking myself.

[Kendhni]

I have asked myself that on a couple of occasions, but suspect that as soon as I am onboard with a cocktail in my hands the answer will be 'yes'