Overview
- Dozens of travellers were left waiting at Gatwick for up to eight hours after handing keys to off‑airport meet‑and‑greet firms booked through a price‑comparison website on June 14.
- After a frantic search many cars were found in nearby hotel car parks, abandoned in Gatwick’s short‑stay lot, or at scrapyards miles away.
- Owners reported vehicles returned dirty, low on fuel, stripped of documents and personal items, and in at least one case showing around 100 extra miles.
- Several people who reported the incidents to police were told the cases were civil disputes because keys had been voluntarily surrendered.
- Gatwick says it is working with police, Trading Standards and the British Parking Association while victims demand stronger platform accountability and clearer protections for customers.