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Elche closes second illegal airport parking site near Alicante-Elche Airport

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1 day ago

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Unlicensed airport car park ordered to close. Credit: Ayuntamiento de Elche.

Elche Council has closed a second unlicensed long-term vehicle parking site near Alicante-Elche Airport as it continues its campaign to regulate airport parking facilities operating without the necessary permissions. The latest action forms part of a wider enforcement programme that has already resulted in dozens of inspections across the municipality.

Second unlicensed parking site ordered to close

Elche Council has ordered the closure of a second unlicensed vehicle parking site in Torrellano Alto as part of its campaign to regulate long-term airport parking facilities around Alicante-Elche Airport.

The site, which covers more than 5,000 square metres and has capacity for over 3,500 vehicles, was closed by Local Police after it was found to be operating without the required licence.

The closure forms part of an ongoing administrative process to prevent the opening or expansion of new parking sites in the airport area.

Mayor Pablo Ruz said the action followed the proper legal process and was based on compliance with planning regulations. He also noted that the operating company had unsuccessfully sought an emergency court order to prevent the closure.

Wider crackdown on illegal airport parking

According to the council, inspections showed the site had gradually expanded to occupy nine plots of land without authorisation. Around 3,650 vehicles remain inside, although owners will be able to collect them under an agreed procedure supervised by the Local Police.

The council has already closed another illegal parking site in recent weeks and says two further closure orders are at an advanced stage. Officials have so far carried out around 85 inspections as they review more than 110 parking sites across the municipality.

The enforcement campaign is intended to ensure that airport parking operators comply with planning and licensing regulations while maintaining proper oversight of commercial activity around Alicante-Elche Airport. The council says inspections will continue as it works through the remaining sites identified as part of its ongoing review.

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Airport Parking

Gatwick Airport’s UK-first robot parking: How it works and who can use it

Published

3 days ago

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July 29, 2026

By

Lyon Airport in France is already operating the robot parking method. Credit: Stanley Robotics / FB

Parking before a flight at Gatwick Airport could soon mean driving into a private cabin, locking the doors, and leaving. A robot then slides underneath, lifts it by the tyres and carries it into secure storage, before return-flight details trigger its collection. But surprisingly strict launch rules will decide who can use it.

The robot does the parking while passengers get to keep their keys

London Gatwick has opened bookings for what it describes as the UK’s first robotic airport parking service located near the South Terminal, with the first passengers expected to use it in August 2026. Travellers drive into a private enclosed cabin, park, remove their belongings, lock the car and confirm their booking using a screen outside.

Once the cabin door closes, an autonomous robot slides beneath the vehicle, lifts it by its tyres and carries it into an access-restricted storage area. This means passengers get to keep their keys throughout their trip, return-flight details are entered during the booking process, and the system brings their car back to a collection cabin before they arrive. After landing, the vehicle can be collected by scanning the booking’s QR code. 

Oli Bedford, Gatwick’s Head of Airport Access, Marketing and Commercial Products, called the service “quick, easy and completely hassle-free”. However, the initial conditions published by Gatwick narrow down who can actually use it.

The five-day minimum rules out shorter trips

The robotic car park must be booked in advance and will not accept drivers who simply turn up on the day. Initially, each booking must cover at least five days. Entry and exit will not be available at weekends, while Gatwick’s launch notes list bookable times between 9am and 5pm.

A car can remain parked over a weekend, but it cannot be dropped off or collected on a Saturday or Sunday. This may make the service unsuitable for a vast number of passengers either going on a short weekend break or with early departures and journeys that do not fit its opening times. Gatwick says the conditions will be adjusted and eased as the service expands.

There is also no single advertised flat price. Quotes depend on the dates and length of stay, while the airport’s terms state that prices can change when a booking is made. Booking through Gatwick’s customer contact centre does add a £5 fee.

Roof boxes, large wheels and heavy SUVs may not fit

Gatwick says the system is compatible with around 95 per cent of vehicle models, but several increasingly common car features could cause problems.

The maximum permitted measurements are:

  • Wheelbase: 3.3 metres
  • Vehicle height: 2.3 metres
  • Wheel diameter: 21 inches
  • Vehicle weight: 2.6 tonnes

Sports cars with particularly low ground clearance, pick-up trucks, vehicles towing trailers and cars fitted with roof boxes or bicycle carriers may be unsuitable. Gatwick’s vehicle compatibility guidance lists the Ford Ranger, Range Rover Sport Hybrid and nine-seat Renault Trafic among its incompatible examples.

Vehicle specifications therefore need checking before booking, particularly when travelling in a large SUV, utility vehicle or car fitted with holiday equipment.

Robot damage is covered, but theft is not

The storage area is closed to the public and has 24-hour patrols, perimeter fencing, floodlighting and number-plate-controlled entry and exit. According to Gatwick’s robotic parking terms, the airport and its subcontractors are insured if damage is caused by the robot and will pay the reasonable cost of repairs.

That protection doesn’t cover every incident inside the car park though. The terms exclude responsibility for theft from or of the vehicle, while damage caused by vandalism, wildlife or other accidents is also treated separately from damage caused by the robot.

Any damage or missing belongings must be reported immediately. The driver and a member of staff must complete a customer report before the vehicle leaves the car park. Travellers are also instructed to remove belongings, straighten the wheels, apply the handbrake, lock the car and close every window before activating the cabin.

The new robots get to work in August. Will it work? 

Stanley Robotics has previously operated its technology at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport in France, but Gatwick will be its first commercial airport service in the UK. The jury is still out on whether the robot can deliver on the promised convenience without simly creating new queues at the collection cabins.

It doesn’t seem to be a direct replacement for Gatwick’s conventional car parks, and prospective users will still need to check their dates, vehicle specifications and live prices. But once restrictions are relaxed and opening hours expanded, the robots could lift a weight off of the regular and slow car parking procedure that many passengers experience while travelling in and out of Gatwick.

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Gatwick Airport’s UK-First Robot Parking: How It Works And Who Can Use It

Published

3 days ago

on

July 29, 2026

By

gatwick-airport’s-uk-first-robot-parking:-how-it-works-and-who-can-use-it

Lyon Airport in France is already operating the robot parking method. Credit: Stanley Robotics / FB

Parking before a flight at Gatwick Airport could soon mean driving into a private cabin, locking the doors, and leaving. A robot then slides underneath, lifts it by the tyres and carries it into secure storage, before return-flight details trigger its collection. But surprisingly strict launch rules will decide who can use it.

The robot does the parking while passengers get to keep their keys

London Gatwick has opened bookings for what it describes as the UK’s first robotic airport parking service located near the South Terminal, with the first passengers expected to use it in August 2026. Travellers drive into a private enclosed cabin, park, remove their belongings, lock the car and confirm their booking using a screen outside.

Once the cabin door closes, an autonomous robot slides beneath the vehicle, lifts it by its tyres and carries it into an access-restricted storage area. This means passengers get to keep their keys throughout their trip, return-flight details are entered during the booking process, and the system brings their car back to a collection cabin before they arrive. After landing, the vehicle can be collected by scanning the booking’s QR code. 

Oli Bedford, Gatwick’s Head of Airport Access, Marketing and Commercial Products, called the service “quick, easy and completely hassle-free”. However, the initial conditions published by Gatwick narrow down who can actually use it.

The five-day minimum rules out shorter trips

The robotic car park must be booked in advance and will not accept drivers who simply turn up on the day. Initially, each booking must cover at least five days. Entry and exit will not be available at weekends, while Gatwick’s launch notes list bookable times between 9am and 5pm.

A car can remain parked over a weekend, but it cannot be dropped off or collected on a Saturday or Sunday. This may make the service unsuitable for a vast number of passengers either going on a short weekend break or with early departures and journeys that do not fit its opening times. Gatwick says the conditions will be adjusted and eased as the service expands.

There is also no single advertised flat price. Quotes depend on the dates and length of stay, while the airport’s terms state that prices can change when a booking is made. Booking through Gatwick’s customer contact centre does add a £5 fee.

Roof boxes, large wheels and heavy SUVs may not fit

Gatwick says the system is compatible with around 95 per cent of vehicle models, but several increasingly common car features could cause problems.

The maximum permitted measurements are:

  • Wheelbase: 3.3 metres
  • Vehicle height: 2.3 metres
  • Wheel diameter: 21 inches
  • Vehicle weight: 2.6 tonnes

Sports cars with particularly low ground clearance, pick-up trucks, vehicles towing trailers and cars fitted with roof boxes or bicycle carriers may be unsuitable. Gatwick’s vehicle compatibility guidance lists the Ford Ranger, Range Rover Sport Hybrid and nine-seat Renault Trafic among its incompatible examples.

Vehicle specifications therefore need checking before booking, particularly when travelling in a large SUV, utility vehicle or car fitted with holiday equipment.

Robot damage is covered, but theft is not

The storage area is closed to the public and has 24-hour patrols, perimeter fencing, floodlighting and number-plate-controlled entry and exit. According to Gatwick’s robotic parking terms, the airport and its subcontractors are insured if damage is caused by the robot and will pay the reasonable cost of repairs.

That protection doesn’t cover every incident inside the car park though. The terms exclude responsibility for theft from or of the vehicle, while damage caused by vandalism, wildlife or other accidents is also treated separately from damage caused by the robot.

Any damage or missing belongings must be reported immediately. The driver and a member of staff must complete a customer report before the vehicle leaves the car park. Travellers are also instructed to remove belongings, straighten the wheels, apply the handbrake, lock the car and close every window before activating the cabin.

The new robots get to work in August. Will it work? 

Stanley Robotics has previously operated its technology at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport in France, but Gatwick will be its first commercial airport service in the UK. The jury is still out on whether the robot can deliver on the promised convenience without simly creating new queues at the collection cabins.

It doesn’t seem to be a direct replacement for Gatwick’s conventional car parks, and prospective users will still need to check their dates, vehicle specifications and live prices. But once restrictions are relaxed and opening hours expanded, the robots could lift a weight off of the regular and slow car parking procedure that many passengers experience while travelling in and out of Gatwick.

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