Ready for take-off! The new Approved Meet and Greet Operator scheme

Meet and Greet parking is a popular service for people travelling by car to airports, and there are many excellent companies throughout the UK that provide a quality service; storing customers’ vehicles in secure locations in close proximity to the airport and ensuring that they are delivered back at the agreed time and in the same condition as when they were collected.

However, there are instances of companies operating within airports who although they are abiding by airport byelaws and terms and conditions of use, are providing a sub-standard service for consumers.

The BPA has worked with its members, major airports, and key stakeholders - including the police - to deliver a new scheme which will become the recognised standard for airports and off-airport Meet and Greet parking operators. Just like the Safer Parking Scheme which the BPA manages on behalf of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, the Approved Meet and Greet Operator Scheme (AM-GO) aims to raise standards and drive out crime.

By its very nature, travelling to and from airports is very much about the journey and the overall customer experience.  AM-GO will further enhance this experience, showcasing those companies in the Meet and Greet sector with high standards and who offer outstanding quality and service delivery.  

From the moment a customer books their Meet and Greet service online, whether directly with a provider or through a consolidator, to their arrival at the airport and handover of keys, AM-GO members will ensure that every vehicle is destined to be in safe hands.

This ‘nose to tail’ customer experience is vital to ensure that all aspects of the Meet and Greet service meet the high standards of the AM-GO scheme, which will also include regular audits of consolidators, booking agents, Meet and Greet operators, and airports against the AM-GO code of practice. The BPA’s team of area managers will conduct in-person site assessments of all Meet and Greet services managed by airports and operators, including every single facility where vehicles are parked and stored for the duration of a customer’s booking.

The new AM-GO scheme will ensure that:

• Airports have designated, clearly marked and signposted Meet and Greet drop-off and pick-up zones.
• Meet and Greet staff, including drivers, will be qualified, professional, and fully insured, and will carry ID cards and wear uniforms at all times.
• Vehicles will be safely stored in a Park Mark® accredited facility and cars won’t be driven any further than stated on the booking confirmation.
• Both airports and AM-GO members will be regularly assessed and monitored by BPA-qualified auditors to uphold the highest standards.
• Motorists will be signposted to a single, reliable data source for AM-GO members and can be confident of leaving their vehicle with an Approved Meet and Greet Operator

Sara Fisher, BPA Head of Operations and Business Development said, “We are so excited to be launching this new scheme which will be the only police-supported nationwide accreditation of its type. We are aiming for a national standard to deliver optimum success and a consistent message to the holiday and business traveller alike, so we are encouraging all UK airports and their Meet and Greet parking operators to join the scheme.’

It is hoped that this new standard in airport Meet and Greet parking can help make rogue and unscrupulous operators a thing of the past.  “In the future, we want to confidently say to consumers: “Don't book your airport Meet and Greet parking with anyone else,” adds Fisher.

The BPA will be contacting all UK airports over the coming months and the new scheme will be operational before the summer holiday season in 2024.

To find out how you can prepare for the future of airport Meet and Greet parking services, please email: meetandgreet@britishparking.co.uk