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“Frustrating car park experience. Much room for...”

written by Mallysis on 25/02/2016

As we drove up to the car park entrance at East Midlands Airport we joined a queue of 5 cars waiting for the automatic barrier to lift to let them in. Each car was waiting for the number recognition system to raise the barrier. The information warns that this could take up to 40 seconds but it seemed much longer with each car before us. When it was our turn, we counted out 40 seconds and longer but were still not allowed entry. Then, just as I pressed the button for attention, the barrier lifted. However, our entrance into the car park went much more smoothly than our exit. So, we returned to our car tired after travelling for most of the day with a 2 hour drive ahead of us. It was raining, dark, cold and blowing a gale. We drove up to the barrier to allow our number plate to be read. 40 seconds, nothing. 2 minutes, nothing. So pressed the button for attention. Eventually, after another couple of minutes a man drove up to the car park entrance and came to the car window. He asked for our documents. Well, thinking we'd not need them because we had pre-paid and had been allowed entry a week ago, we'd put them in the boot. But the man insisted on seeing the documentation. So we battled the wind and rain to rumage for them in the boot in the dark. Eventually, after struggling to read the papers as they were flapping and getting wet, the man opened the barrier to let us out. It's not what anyone needs after a long day travelling.