It cost about £100 but I knew (or thought) it would be worth every penny

Last year, my daughter and I planned a trip to Rhodes, departing from Manchester Airport. The time came for me to decide our airport transportation.

Given that the meet and greet parking was only about £20 more expensive than parking at the ringway car park, it was an easy decision. The process was straightforward, we arrived three hours before our flight, drove straight in, unloaded our luggage, and walked a short distance across the road to the terminal entrance.

So, when I booked our summer holiday through On The Beach this year I opted for meet and greet parking directly through the holiday company. It cost roughly £100, but I believed (or assumed) it would be worth every penny.

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Our flight to Rhodes, on August 10, was scheduled to depart at 4.50pm from Terminal 2, so we got to the airport about three hours early. I went to meet and greet and stopped at the barrier. I waited for the ANPR camera to verify my car’s registration through the system and waited, reports Lancs Live.

Growing impatient, I pressed the ‘help’ button on the barrier. After explaining that the camera wasn’t letting me through, I was informed that my booking was for meet and greet at Terminal 1.

I argued that there must have been a mistake as we were flying from Terminal 2, but the woman said that because the parking was fully booked, they couldn’t switch us over, so I had no choice but to go to Terminal 1.

Upon exiting the car, I asked the attendant for directions to Terminal 2. He informed us that despite the availability of a shuttle bus service, we couldn’t utilise it as we hadn’t made a booking. With rain pouring down, he suggested we use the skywalk to reach the terminal on foot.

The day after we returned from Rhodes, I lodged a complaint with On The Beach, attaching a receipt for the £11 taxi fare from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1. While I received an acknowledgement of my complaint, I am yet to receive a response.

I reached out to On The Beach’s press office, seeking a comment on my complaint and the issue with the meet and greet parking. A spokeswoman informed me that the company operates within a 28-day window to address complaints, which seems fair. She also mentioned that my details had been forwarded to the relevant team for immediate attention.

However, a 28-day window is not helpful when you’re stranded at the airport, clueless about how to reach the correct terminal. While an £11 taxi fare may not be a significant expense, it’s one I shouldn’t have had to incur. I’ll provide an update once On The Beach responds to my complaint.