Airport Conundrum

[MagsE]

Six of us will fly to Barcelona next month from Gatwick. We all fly back to Heathrow, 2 of us earlier than the others. The earlier arrivers have to drive straight back up to Cumbria. We have 3 cars and will set out from St Albans. What would be the best way to get to and from the airports? We can park any or all of the cars at the airports (as long as at least one is at Heathrow). We have a 9am flight out so are not time-rich on our way out. There must be an algerbraic formula for this - but I'm not good at sums!!

[vehelpfulguy]

Not clear, but from your append you seem to be saying that you all live in St Albans. If that is the case I would leave the cars at home and use trains or coaches.

Not sure how long you are away, but leaving 3 cars at any airport would be very expensive.

If you have to be at Gatwick at 9am see if there is a local Gatwick hotel that you can use the night before so you are already nearby.

Travel to the hotel the day before you fly by train or coach and stay at the hotel.

You live near Luton airport, see if there is a airport coach that goes between Luton, Gatwick and Heathrow and use that.

If you insist on using Cars, some airport hotels do offer one night stay with a weeks parking for "free". See if you can find a Heathrow or Gatwick hotel that offers that.

Leave one car at Heathrow, even if you do not use the one nights stay.

[MagsE]

Thank you for that. I really should have put in more info! We are away for 1 week: 1 couple live in St Albans, 1 in Cardiff and 1 in Cumbria. We are all staying in St Albans on the Friday night. Main problem is flying out of one airport and into another (don't quite know how that happened). Cumbrians have definitely got to pick up car at Heathrow on return and dash back up M/way because dog sitters are leaving. Cardiff couple probably need car at Heathrow as well, but as their flight lands quite late, may opt to stay night in St Albans. 3rd couple live in St Albans. Haven't a clue about trains/buses. Could look up time tables etc but thought that someone who reads this site (isn't it brilliant?!!) might have the knowledge 1st hand.

[vehelpfulguy]

Wow ! I would sack your travel agent :-)

One dare not ask why a couple from Cumbria are driving all the way to Gatwick to catch a plane, when they have Manchester and Liverpool airports on their doorstep.

Or ask why you are flying out of one airport and back to another.

Even at this late stage I would try and change the flight details, that way at least some of you can arrive back at Gatwick.

It is very risky setting off from St Albans for a 9am flight from Gatwick (need to be at airport by 8am latest, in the car park by 7.30 am latest) so this is rush hour time.

Do not stay in St Albans Friday night. I would make arrangements to stay at a hotel in Gatwick on Friday night.

During the day Friday I would drive all the cars to Heathow and park them there.

I would then get a coach from Heathrow to Gatwick (there are coaches that travel between the airports)

http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/heathrow_gatwick_transfer.htm

Stay at the Gatwick hotel Friday night and you will all be there safely for the flight Saturday morning, with the cars all waiting at Heathrow.

And next time plan it better !

[markja]

there is a bus / coach service from watford junction to heathrow (lhr)central. national express do the gatwick express to and from lhr/gat. you need to phone nat express to book it coz they can't do this online. or you can turn up at watford and pay there for the journey to lhr then pay at nat exp lhr for gatwick leg.

08705 808080 is the phone number, they are ever so helpfull.

[MagsE]

Thanks for all your suggestions; reason the Cumbrians are flying from the south is that we joined the trip with our 2 sets of southern friends late and they were in charge of booking flights. Travel agents not sackable as the trip wasn't arranged through one (a moral there, maybe?). I think the 2 airports are involved because it was the only way to get flights at the right times.

It's not usually this complicated to fly 3.5k to New York!

[morg_monster]

If you need to stay in a hotel the night before, try www.travelodge.co.uk , they have good value rooms at their Gatwick hotel, I just got a quote of �26 for a double room for 1 night at Easter, if you book far enough in advance you might get a �10 room! (2 miles from airport, coach to the airport in the morning is �3 each)

I agree with VHG - park the cars at Heathrow the day before (to be cheaper - just use 2 cars, and get your cardiff friends to come stay in st Albans the first night back - depends on size of car and luggage though). Then get the coach to gatwick. Nice and leisurely!

[MagsE]

Thank you very much for all your answers.

Solution: Cardiffians will meet Cumbrians at Heathrow on Friday night; Cumbrians have booked car into carpark at Heathrow and will travel to St Albans with Cardiffians. All will travel by train to Gatwick on Saturday morning. Cumbrians will fly back to Heathrow, pick up car and tear up motorway to be greeted by jubilant dog and indifferent cats. Son of St Albanians will pick up all others from Heathrow and return them to St Albans where Cardiffians will pick up car and drive home. Phew!!

Just off to book our car in Barcelona now!

Cheers & Gracias!