Gatwick Airport's parking service, operated by NCP, is under scrutiny following an incident that left a customer's car severely damaged. The truck was said to have been smoking heavily and popping through the exhaust before eventually stopping. This was a particularly timely situation because this customer was coming back on the Sunday right before this Friday incident. The customer was not only unaware of the damage but didn’t have the opportunity to plan for a different option to travel.
Gatwick Airport parking has refunded the £150 cost of the valet parking. They refuse to accept responsibility for the damage or pay the cost of travel onward. The repair bill for the car, which has just over 50,000 miles on the clock, is likely to be £1,000. The airport parking service claims the damage was caused purely by a broken coil spring, which would generally be considered mechanical wear and tear.
“The damage to the vehicle in question was caused by a broken coil spring and classed as mechanical wear and tear, therefore we are unable to accept any liability.” – Gatwick
Gatwick Airport parking contract has a real difficulty demonstrating that damage is solely the result of wear and tear. The reality is much more nuanced. Federal and media investigators will be asking whether this incident was avoidable or more effectively handled by parking management staff or subcontractors.
The customer to let them know their car was damaged. Gatwick Airport parking’s communication horror story didn’t stop there. This denied the passenger an opportunity to schedule other transportation for their trip home. This poor communication though, compounded the customer’s negative experience with the service.
NCP manage the on and off airport parking facilities for Gatwick Airport. They claim that their drivers and all their subcontractors are insured against any loss or damage from the result of negligent driving.
“We and our subcontractors are insured for any loss or damage to your vehicle which happens as a result of our employees and subcontractors not driving carefully.” – NCP