ICSM Business – Travel Insolvency News: airport parking firm goes bust leaving customers in the rain with no access to their cars at 4 o’clock in the morning
By Harry Mottram: Airline passengers returning from holidays abroad in the early hours of Wednesday, 15th May 2024, were horrified to discover they had no access to their cars. The firm Blue Circle Parking Limited at Birmingham Airport had gone bust meaning the meet and greet service was suspended without notice leaving the tourists without transport.
The firm is officially based at Heathrow with bases in Gatwick, Luton and Birmingham and since 2009 offers a park and ride service as well as a drop off and collect service for cars. However as hundreds of passengers arrived at Birmingham Airport all keen to get home the phones for Blue Circle were not answered with nobody to help them. Instead customers had to track down their cars themselves with some hiring taxis to drive to the car parks some three miles away – or even hike there in the dark and the rain.
Ian Carrotte of ICSM Business said this was an appalling way to treat customers since they had paid for the service up front. He said it did not bode well for suppliers to Blue Circle who may well not be paid by the sudden collapse of the business. He said it made a mockery of their return procedure which says, ‘Please call us once you have collected all of your luggage. In case of any delays please let us know. Our chauffeur will deliver your vehicle to the agreed pick up point at the airport at the same point where you dropped your vehicle.’
The troubles for those stranded without their car only escalated with one traveller having to pay £961 to exit the car park at Heathrow Terminal 4 Short Stay after finding their car had been parked there rather than in the so-called secure care park three miles away. Others reported that the staff had not been paid and had kept the car keys meaning the owners when they found their vehicle couldn’t drive them away. On Trustpilot the litany of complaints reveal the misery caused by the collapse of the firm run by Sri Lankan Anjalito Ajenthan (according to Companies House) from an address in Hayes, England.
ICSM understands that rival parking firm Maple Parking, Airparks and the airports themselves have stepped in to help motorists find their cars.
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For information on ICSM visit www.icsmcredit.com or call 0844 854 1850.
ICSM, The Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4RR. Tel: 0844 854 1850. www.icsmcredit.com. Ian.carrotte@icsmcredit.com
