OT- Airport Parking Question

Submitted by Adrian on

I have a question for the board. Since the team is in submarine mode I consider this still the offseason and I can ask the board for an opinion. I know most airports have some sort of parking with shuttles that take you to the terminal. I have noticed that most of the time it takes some time to get you to the terminal and if your in a hurry this is not a good option. How would people feel about dropping off their car at the terminal and having a valet take the car to the parking structure and bringing it back once they come back from the trip. Would people have reservations about doing this and in someway feel this wouldnt be safe? I know I may get negged on this topic but I am curious what people feel about this and if anyone would even consider this if it was an option. Mods feel free to delete if this is not board worthy. 

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tlo2485

August 13th, 2016 at 4:01 PM ^

Cool story: I was waiting in the 'cell phone' lot at jfk last week for my friend to call/text me that he was ready to be picked up ... 20 minutes later I realized I had no service 

Joined: 08/06/2010

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Go Blue Eyes

August 13th, 2016 at 4:13 PM ^

Valet in the winter on short trips so the car is warmed up and waiting when you return. Otherwise use the closest garage, preferably one you can walk to so you don't have to wait for a shuttle which always seems to be just leaving as you walk up.

Joined: 12/04/2010

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M Go Cue

August 13th, 2016 at 4:14 PM ^

Soon you'll be able to drive yourself to the airport and have your car drive itself home. When you return it will drive itself to pick you up at the terminal.

Joined: 07/13/2013

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1989 UM GRAD

August 13th, 2016 at 4:30 PM ^

If you are flying Delta and this is for DTW, they have valet. Follow the park liking signs to valet. Drop off your car. Take 20 steps. You are in the terminal.

Joined: 03/08/2012

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1989 UM GRAD

August 13th, 2016 at 5:58 PM ^

Depends on when you fly. Sometimes it takes a while to find a space. Or you have to park far away. The valet is worth the extra cost, assuming it's not a hardship for you. I'm not in the habit of throwing away money, but the extra cost of the valet is offset by the convenience IMHO.

Joined: 03/08/2012

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Goggles Paisano

August 13th, 2016 at 4:39 PM ^

I usually do the long-term parking in the airport parking structure. It costs more than the shuttle service type parking but the difference isn't enough to make up the time and convenience.  It's nice to walk out the airport right into the parking structure and get in your car.  

 

Joined: 07/30/2011

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Optimism Attache

August 13th, 2016 at 7:23 PM ^

Yeah. In my mind the service that OP is proposing would have to be at a price point somewhere between what you pay for the terminal parking structure and the cost of the off-site reduced rate parking. I don't know what the relative costs are, but it seems like there is a pretty narrow range there for a third opt-in to be attractive.

Joined: 09/13/2011

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oriental andrew

August 13th, 2016 at 6:05 PM ^

parking garage by the terminal daily rate, last I checked, is around $36 per day. lately, I just take a car to the airport. guy is s taxi driver, but I text a day ahead and he picks me up. all my travel is for clients and expensed, and is a wash or cheaper than the daily lot most times.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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turtleboy

August 13th, 2016 at 7:08 PM ^

I've honestly never considered using airport valet. I've used the airport taxi to pick me up and drop me off from home before and that's worked out rather well, otherwise I'll park in onsite parking and use the shuttle. I've never been more than 15 minutes from parking to door and at the dtw green lot the parking is pretty cheap.

Joined: 04/22/2011

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JBE

August 13th, 2016 at 7:45 PM ^

Airport valet? C'mon, man. If you must drive, park in the garage like a normal person. Just get there a little early. How much time is a valet really going to save you?

Joined: 08/18/2008

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I dumped the Dope

August 13th, 2016 at 9:11 PM ^

it would have to exist on tight coordination.

More to that, to compete with existing valet, the thing couldn't be basically a short term valet, and the cars would have to be parked further out.

So then its a problem of managing where the valets are at any given time...*They*would need a shuttle bus more or less.

I do think that with some kind of automation which pings flight tracker incessantly, updating the best arrival time for any given passenger/customer, one could arrive at a sweet spot of having cars ready to go at the terminal despite the potentially longer distance, and not having the valet have to wait an excessive time for the customer to arrive.

Also, having the entire travel schedule up front, it would be easier to schedule valet staffing.  But the usual mental strain of labor relations: vacations, sickness and no-call-no-shows.  Overtime, weather delays, and having to run a 24 hour operation more or less.

The liability is probably quite high for jacking with other peoples' cars, so insurance might eat the entire profit margin.

Some kind of security would also be needed to prevent a very well-dressed me from picking up Mr. Bond's 959 while he was detained with a lost golf bag.

To answer your question: I would think of using it more if it were a deal.  Normally I'm cheap and have time to burn travelling personally.  If a regular business traveller wanting to cut it closer, I would consider it more often, also assuming its a reimbursable expense.

Joined: 09/22/2013

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AFMich

August 13th, 2016 at 9:06 PM ^

When I have a morning flight out, I find it's cheaper to stay the night in a hotel and park for free, than pay for parking. You get good shuttle service, your car isn't in a dark parking garage and you don't have to scramble to the airport the morning of your flight.

I've found a trip over 5 days in duration to be the average break even point between a night's hotel bill and airport parking.

Joined: 03/24/2011

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