Second only to our home, our car is probably the most expensive thing we own and, as with all our valuable assets, to protect them we insure them. We insure our cars not only because it’s a legal requirement, but to ensure that if they are damaged or stolen, they can be repaired or replaced. And, when we park our cars, we park them as safely as possible – away from corners, at night in a well lit area and preferably in recognised parking space.

When you go on holiday and you need to leave a car at the airport you want to make sure it’s parked with a reputable airport parking company; a parking company that parks your car in a safe, recognised car park, and not on the street or in the open on an industrial estate.

So what can you do to make sure the airport parking company you plan to use is safe and not a fly-by-night, cowboy company set up to take advantage of the overwhelming demand for airport parking in the height of the season? Below is a list of tips to help you find the safest airport parking.

Word-of-mouth recommendations
A good way to choose an airport parking company is to have word-of-mouth recommendation. Ask your friends and family who they have used in the past, what their experiences were, and whether they would recommend the company.

Travel forums and review sites
Check travel forums and travel review sites, such as tripadvisor.com, to find recommendations, reviews and to ask questions about any parking company that you plan to use.

On-airport parking
On-airport parking is a safe bet, as the parking is within the airport boundaries and monitored by CCTV, but leaving your car on-site at the airport is the more expensive option.

Off-site airport parking
Off-site airport parking offers a cheaper option than on-site parking and one favoured by many travellers, however, this is where problems can be encountered. When choosing off-site parking for either traditional airport parking or meet and greet, you will get a brief description of the site from the company’s website or the site you are booking through, but how accurate is this? How do you know that what you see on the website is a fair representation of the company and its facilities?

The safest option when booking off-airport or meet and greet parking is to look for the safer parking ParkMark certification, which shows that the airport parking company’s car park meets strict standards of security, is properly managed and maintained and has the correct amount of surveillance, lighting, signage, cleanliness plus has secure entry and exit points.

To receive the safer parking ParkMark accreditation, parking facilities must be assessed by accredited Police staff that actually visit the parking site to check the car park against the Safer Parking Scheme’s criteria that requires measures to be put in place to help deter criminal activity, anti-social behaviour and help prevent crime within the parking facility.

The ParkMark scheme is managed by the British Parking Association and supported by the Home Office and Scottish Government. Once awarded the ParkMark approval, companies are assessed annually to ensure high standards of parking are maintained.

So, when booking this year’s airport parking, take the safer option and look out for the safer parking ParkMark logo on your chosen airport parking site, or check on the safer parking website (britishparking.co.uk) for a list of accredited parking companies at your local airport.

Further information:
Check out the Help Me Park website for ParkMark approved Gatwick meet and greet parking.