[Sussex] Picking Up at Gatwick

Bold Seagull · Feb 13, 2022

Daughter is off on her first holiday without us and I’ve offered to pick her up on her return to Gatwick. I note the cost of the pick up area is £5 for 10mins then £1 per min, there’s short stay parking at about £15 or long stay free for 2 hours with a 5min shuttle bus - which is what I’m thinking of doing as I’m tight! Any other brilliant off the radar suggestions that I might have missed?

One Love · Feb 13, 2022

Bold Seagull said:
Daughter is off on her first holiday without us and I’ve offered to pick her up on her return to Gatwick. I note the cost of the pick up area is £5 for 10mins then £1 per min, there’s short stay parking at about £15 or long stay free for 2 hours with a 5min shuttle bus - which is what I’m thinking of doing as I’m tight! Any other brilliant off the radar suggestions that I might have missed?

Has this changed since Covid?

I used to wait at the petrol station near the exit for a call and then pick up at the drop off.

GT49er · Feb 13, 2022

Bold Seagull said:
Daughter is off on her first holiday without us and I’ve offered to pick her up on her return to Gatwick. I note the cost of the pick up area is £5 for 10mins then £1 per min, there’s short stay parking at about £15 or long stay free for 2 hours with a 5min shuttle bus - which is what I’m thinking of doing as I’m tight! Any other brilliant off the radar suggestions that I might have missed?

Train, and the auto-rail shuttle thingy between the terminals and the railway station?

Springal · Feb 13, 2022

One Love said:
Has this changed since Covid?

I used to wait at the petrol station near the exit for a call and then pick up at the drop off.

£5+ drop off charge.

Do the long stay thing is probably best / only free option

Paulie Gualtieri · Feb 13, 2022

Bold Seagull said:
Daughter is off on her first holiday without us and I’ve offered to pick her up on her return to Gatwick. I note the cost of the pick up area is £5 for 10mins then £1 per min, there’s short stay parking at about £15 or long stay free for 2 hours with a 5min shuttle bus - which is what I’m thinking of doing as I’m tight! Any other brilliant off the radar suggestions that I might have missed?

Could always pop in to the Hilton (for directions) on the south terminal or use the facilities at KFC or MacDonalds just around the corner?

Seagull58 · Feb 13, 2022

Can't you drive straight through to the terminal any more? I used to wait by the hotels until I got a call to pickup and then drive straight through, collect and drive off.

Chicken Run · Feb 13, 2022

Bold Seagull said:
Daughter is off on her first holiday without us and I’ve offered to pick her up on her return to Gatwick. I note the cost of the pick up area is £5 for 10mins then £1 per min, there’s short stay parking at about £15 or long stay free for 2 hours with a 5min shuttle bus - which is what I’m thinking of doing as I’m tight! Any other brilliant off the radar suggestions that I might have missed?

Assuming you are travelling up from the coast, pull into the lay-by on the East Grinstead Road junction before Gatwick facing back towards the M23, tell your daughter to text you the minute she clears customs, you then set off and by the time she has arrived at the drop off point opposite the Premier Inn you will just be pulling into the drop off zone, then you only pay £5.

Tell her to head straight there mind, no little stops at M & S, I do this method at least twice a week and works every time.

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Shorehamseagull · Feb 13, 2022

Driving through is ANPR and automatic £5!

Long stay is best bet however it’s only North Terminal at the moment so a slightly longer shuttle bus to/from the airport

BNthree · Feb 13, 2022

Seagull58 said:
Can't you drive straight through to the terminal any more? I used to wait by the hotels until I got a call to pickup and then drive straight through, collect and drive off.

You can still but there is a £5 charge for using the drop off/pick up area now. If you don't want to pay then it's the long stay car park and the passenger gets the shuttle bus.

As for the OP if you need to wait/kill some time the MacDonalds by the south terminal is an option. Customers can park for 40 minutes (I think) so pop in and get a coffee while waiting for the text.

amexer · Feb 13, 2022

My only visit to Mcdonalds when I pick up

BNthree · Feb 13, 2022

Shorehamseagull said:
Driving through is ANPR and automatic £5!

Last time I used it I went online to pay and it said payment failed so I kept retrying and got payment failed each time. Checked my banking app and I'd been charged 4 times! Cheeky sods. Emailed them and got it refunded but can imagine others might not bother for the sake of £5 or £10.

Boys 9d · Feb 13, 2022

I've always used the free parking option plus the shuttle bus from the terminal. Incidentally Unless there have been recent changes, there is a similar system at Stansted.

Boroseagull · Feb 13, 2022

Boys 9d said:
I've always used the free parking option plus the shuttle bus from the terminal. Incidentally Unless there have been recent changes, there is a similar system at Stansted.

Yes, it's the mid-term car park that has the free pickup/drop off area and shuttle bus at Stansted.

AmexRuislip · Feb 13, 2022

Boys 9d said:
I've always used the free parking option plus the shuttle bus from the terminal. Incidentally Unless there have been recent changes, there is a similar system at Stansted.

This is still the case :thumbsup:

Albion my Albion · Feb 13, 2022

One Love said:
Has this changed since Covid?

I used to wait at the petrol station near the exit for a call and then pick up at the drop off.

Is there not a mobile phone car park (in America called a cell phone lot) where you sit in your car until your person calls you and then you go in to pick them up? Almost every US Airport has one.

spence · Feb 13, 2022

Shorehamseagull said:
Driving through is ANPR and automatic £5!

Long stay is best bet however it’s only North Terminal at the moment so a slightly longer shuttle bus to/from the airport

That's not true. I know this for a fact

Bold Seagull · Feb 13, 2022

Thanks for all the helpful replies, not a piss take amoung them, very unNSC! :lolol:

Weststander · Feb 13, 2022

We hung around in the petrol station area, waited for the call that they were definitely outside the north terminal by the departures lane, then whizzed round to pick up for free.

Need to be sharpish with the case etc, stewards lingering.

Shorehamseagull · Feb 13, 2022

spence said:
That's not true. I know this for a fact

A minimum £5 charge now applies to use the designated drop off zone in both North and South Terminals.

Payment must be made by midnight the day after the visit to drop off passengers at the forecourt.

New number plate-reading camera technology, barrier-free traffic flow and easy payment options are in place to enable easy airport drop offs without the need to locate change or your wallet. Simply pay at your convenience using one of our many payment methods.

https://www.gatwickairport.com/to-and-from/picking-up-dropping-off/

Official Old Man · Feb 13, 2022

If it's not too late, only free option is the Long Stay car park. You get two hours free parking.
From the M23 the car park is well sign posted but basically it is past both terminals.
Dropping off - drive in to the car park and drop passengers off at the first bus stop.
Collecting - park up just off the M23 somewhere and get them to call as they leave the aircraft. Then drive to the car park and await their arrival. Arrange which bus stop you wait at as there are many.
Shuttle bus runs every few minutes so little waiting.

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