My car was parked in South Terminal long term park. Got a very good price on the Internet for that. When I collected my car last evening (Sat) it was easy to see why. Several of the zones were completely empty. In all the previous years I have used LGW these car parks have been virtually full throughout the summer. It seems that LGW may be having a very bad summer.
Also there were no queues at check-in, security or at Border control on my return. Another sign of a very weak market.
Depends as given the zonal parking they like to operate you could be seeing where people a week previously had parked and then returned and gone home and its such a size its really hard to guage how full it is. Also the additional holiday parking is being used.
Kudos to Gatwick Airport for making getting through the airport easier as over last 12 months a lot more effort has gone into getting people in and out quicker.
Of course the big holiday rush only starts now for next 3 weeks so will be interesting to see if its the same.
Many friends who were previously package now tend to book flights themselves and accom separately, aptly described to me as no more 3am checkins as now they can select their own flights when it suits them.
The parking point is well made as they now all seem to combine taxi /public transport which changes perspective if flight during the day rather than drive.
I guess the market is changing as Package operators will attest to.