Blackpool:Departure tax £10, but free parking

clinkham · #1 14-05-2009, 01:57

Anyone had experience travelling from Blackpool recently?
They have introduced an 'airport development' payment of £10 per passenger

, but sweetened the pill by offering free car parking (up to 15 days) to all departing passengers

.

Does this work?

Disorderly · #2 14-05-2009, 20:00

Blackpool is a lovely little airport and, living in Lancaster, I'd happily pay £10 not to have to treck down to Manchester or Liverpool for a flight.

If I took a taxi, I'd get the cost back (and more) immediately. If I chose to drive and park I'd be on a winner too.

Providing the money is used to further improve the airport, it gets my vote.

Of course the maths works out differently depending upon where you live. But I view it like the Mallorcan tourist tax of a few seasons ago - I didn't mind paying that either if the money was genuinely spent on improving the place.

Many will disagree!!!

clinkham · #3 14-05-2009, 20:21

We will be testing the system tomorrow, Friday.

I'll let you know how we get on later.

El Posito tomorrow night with luck!!

clinkham · #4 18-05-2009, 10:20

It works - if i can collect my car on return.
Anyone using the freecarparking take sturdy shoes and an umbrella. Use the drop off carpark (free for 15 mins)to leave the cases at the terminal, then proceed to the longstay carpaks to park. We used P2. ended up in the field opposite the steps (beyond the fence) into our plane. It was a long walk back to the terminal, but you couls wave at the car as you taxied off the apron.

Otherwise so far so good!

clinkham · #5 28-05-2009, 00:50

An update: Car retrieval worked quite well. You MUST validate your ticket in one of the machines in the arrivals hall BEFORE you exit customs. Leave cases with travelling companion and leg it to the car. Find car and return to short stay carpark in front of terminal to collect cases and shivering Mrs.
We were lucky to arrive while there was a bit of daylight left - even with a few hundred new cars parked on what was an empty field when we left, I spotted our car without too much trouble. (Just to recap - you are parking in a field - there are no 'lane' markings - the rows are set up in an ad-hoc basis by the customers!) Our friends, returning in darkness the next day, had to stumble about in pitch darkness 'blipping' his key fob to get his car to flash his indicators at him.
He reported that there were a large number of people on a similar errand and were none too pleased with these arrangements. A lot of them had dragged their cases with them along the gravel road and damp meadow, then were having to go up and down the rows to find their car.
Tying an orange Sainsburys bag to the aerial when you leave the car may assist in finding it when you return (in daylight, ofcourse!).

easylife1 · #6 30-05-2009, 00:03

Hi Clinkham

Very interested to read of your experience at Blackpool - myself and OH are flying from there on the 8th June for the first time. I don't suppose you noticed if there was any provision for disabled parking nearer to the terminal - I have just assumed that there will be and that the car parks would be 'normal' ie. tarmac with marked parking bays! Our flight home is a night flight and I can't say I am looking forward to walking up and down a muddy field trying to find my car especially if it's raining!!!