Scottish holidaymakers are spoiled for choice when it comes to airports. One of the most popular is, of course, Edinburgh. The airport has enjoyed rapid expansion as the popularity of air travel has exploded and prices have fallen.

Some very well known and popular holiday charter flight operators run from Edinburgh airport including Monarch and Flybe. These low cost airlines often provide some special, low cost holiday deals that can make it cheaper to go on holiday than to stay at home (worth looking out for).

One of the most popular holiday destinations from Edinburgh airport is, of course, the Canary Islands. But many holidaymakers are often surprised at some of the hidden charges that they must pay when going on holiday. One of these is their Edinburgh airport parking charge.

Many holidaymakers drive to the airport expecting to be able to leave their car, securely in a car park, ready for their return. But then they are faced with the parking charges which, if you haven’t pre-booked, can be frighteningly high. As for almost everything you might need on your holiday, pre-booking is the best way to get the best possible price. And when it comes to your airport parking space it also means you get to choose your car park.

If you just turn up at the airport looking for a parking space you may find that the car parks are already full. So always book in advance, either online or by telephone, and you will be certain of a space and you will not be paying the earth for it. This is guaranteed to give you some real savings that will go a long way towards making your whole holiday a lot more affordable.

With money tight at the moment and all the financial problems brought on by the credit crunch, this article aims to help you enjoy that tropical holiday, make savings, but still indulge yourself this year.

1. Book Early
By booking early you can take advantage of savings on both flights and hotel accommodation. The advantages of this is that you can be more specific about the location and hotel or resort you

2. Book Late
To get the cheapest accommodation you have two options, depending on how flexible your holiday dates are. If you book at the very last minute, you can take advantage of some fantastic bargains – but the downside is you don’t have as much choice regarding where you stay, and you must be ready to fly at the drop of a hat.

3. Ask for a discount
Travel agents earn money on commission, and many will be willing to drop their commission amount to secure a sale. It is worth asking, don’t be shy and stand your ground, it really works in many cases and you have nothing to lose by asking.

4. Airline bag costs
To encourage people to pack lighter to reduce fuel usage, certain airlines have varying luggage charges. By checking out these limits and charges, you can make savings by sharing bags or opting not to take hand luggage on board.

5. Sun cream, insect repellent and the like
Necessities like sun cream and insect repellent is something you cannot do without. However, the high price you pay in the UK is not likely to be mirrored abroad, and purchasing these locally when on holiday for your family could leave you quids in.

6. All inclusive
All inclusive deals might look expensive when booking, but there are loads of good deals in some surprisingly luxury hotels and you can make a big saving by ensuring your holiday is fully catered.

7. Money Abroad
Check your bank charges for use of ATMs abroad – at the time of writing, Nationwide Building Society do not charge for using ATMs abroad, and by doing this, not only is your money safer, you won’t be stung with any comission charges. Be careful not to draw out more than you need however, as comission does apply when changing foreign currency back to pound sterling.

8. gosimply Airport Services
gosimply.com is an airport services comparison website who compare prices on airport parking, car hire, airport lounges and hotels.
Get up-to-date prices and read reviews, good and bad, to find the best services at the airport you are flying from.

9. Travel Insurance
When booking the above services with Go Simply, you can shave 10% off the price of your single or multi-trip travel insurance.

10. Shop around
Finally, simply shop around and compare prices across all major travel agents to hunt out the best bargains. There are plenty of comparison websites such as the one mentioned above, and other resources such as the Motley Fool and Money Saving Expert who are on hand to offer you plenty of tips.

Good luck and bon voyage!

A recent arson attack on a small car park used by a Gatwick hotel to store client’s cars while they are away has highlighted the need to check what happens to your car when you go away.

The arson attack took place in the early hours of Monday 13th. Initially affecting 2 cars the fire quickly spread to 19 vehicles closely parked in the Forgewood industrial estate car park near Gatwick Airport.

Four units from West Sussex fire and rescue were called to the blaze by a vigilant passer by. Several cars exploded in the conflagration which tookfire-fighters almost 3 hours to control.

The car park is reported to be operated by the Gatwick Worth Hotel on Turners Hill Road. Although holiday makers have been assured that they would be provided with hire cars when they return this cannot compensate for the loss of their vehicles.

This incident highlights the need to be certain of what happens to your car when you depart on your holiday or business trip. There are many Gatwick airport parking facilities to choose from and some hotels, like the Worth, provide their own services. It makes sense to ask about the security facilities at the actual compound where your car will be stored:

1. Is it staffed 24 hours a day?
2. Is it surrounded by a secure fence?
3. Does it have floodlighting?
4. Does it have security CCTV?

Rather than leave the security of your valuable car to chance – Ask!

I’ve just used the meet and greet services at Gatwick airport for the first time and I’ve been so impressed I just had to share.

Meet and greet means that you simply drive to your departure terminal to be met by a very professional chauffeur who will then drive your car to your allotted Gatwick parking space. When you return from your trip the chauffeur is there waiting for you, with your car, ready for the drive home.

One key benefit is that you don’t have to worry about transfering from the Gatwick car park to your terminal, so you save time and potential headaches. On your return you don’t have to stumble around the huge car parks trying to locate your car, the chaffeur has already don that for you.

The service costs a few more pounds on top of the regular parking charges but I would say that most business travellers would benefit from the service. You can even have your car valeted while you are away.

Recent research, conducted by Travelrobe, has indicated that parking at Gatwick airport is actually a cheaper option than taking public transport.

This information appears to fly in the face of advice to travellers that they should, where possible, use public transport. But it turns out that travelling to and from London on the Gatwick Express train works out more expensive than using Gatwick airport parking facilities.

However, a new promotion launched by EasyBus now means that it is actually cheaper to use public transport to travel between Gatwick and London. The new service will run every 20 minutes between Gatwick North terminal arrivals and Fulham Broadwey underground station, costing only £2 each way if booked online. The new promotion will run until December 15th.

If you are a wheelchair user and you want to leave your car at the airport while you travel you need to verify that the facilities available at your chosen car park meet your requirements.

Not all car parks are made the same. Some are close to the airport terminal and some are quite remote. Each car park operator has their own provision for blue badge holders.

For example, a quick survey of the car parks that service Gatwick Airport indicates that many of these specifically mention their facilities for the disabled traveller. Some, like the excellent Megalex Gatwick Airport Parking facility, state that their service is ‘particularly suitable for the disabled traveller’.

If you are a disabled traveller you are well-advised to check the parking facilities available to you when you pre-book your airport parking space and verify that they are suitable for your needs.

One of the few times that my car has been damaged is while it was left in a supermarket car park. I returned to find a significant dent in the bonnet and subsequently found that I could not make a claim from the car park operators. Instead I had to pay for repairs from my own pocket.

Car parks are notoriously dangerous places to park. Vehicles can be bumped, scraped and broken into without anybody noticing. Airport car parks can be a particularly dangerous place to leave your car as many are remote from the airport terminals and unmanned, potentially giving criminals the chance to break in and damage to occur unmonitored.

Luckily most airport car park operators have recognised the need for reassuring levels of security. Many have the ‘Park Mark’ award which means that the security systems have been inspected and verified by the police.

Some airport car parks, such as Park and Fly at Edinburgh, actually provide comprehensive insurance cover against vehicle damage, which is reassuring. Some, like Edinburgh Secure Airparks, have advanced and sophisticated security systems. In this case they have a barbed wire perimeter fence, floodlights, 24 hour security surveillance and CCTV. Not surprisingly they also hold the Park Mark award.

When you leave your valuable car in a car park for any period of time it is worth checking both the security facilities and the insurance cover provided by the car park operators.

Car parking facilities at UK aiports vary considerably. On-airport, off-airport, short-stay, long-stay and medium-stay. You already know that booking your car-parking space in advance can give your some significant savings. But exactly which car park should you choose?

On-Airport Car Parks

The term ‘on-airport’ simply means that the car park is within the airport boundaries. This will generally mean that the car park is close to the airport terminals so transfer times will normaly be short. For example, Edinburgh Airport’s Secure Airparks facility is an award winning on-airport car park with a transfer time of only 1 minute to the airport terminal.

Off-Airport Car Parks

Not surprisingly the term ‘off-airport’ means that the car park is located outside the airport perimeter. This can mean longer transfer times to and from the airport terminal, but this depends upon the airport and the specific car park. For example, NCP Scotpark at Edinburgh airport is an off-airport car park that provides a free bus transfer to the airport terminal which takes only 1 minute. The buses run every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day.

Short Stay Car Parking

In general short stay car parking facilities are most suitable for short trips (one day) or for dropping off and picking up passengers. Short stay car parks tend to be located closer to the airport terminals and may be a little more expensive than their medium and long-stay neighbours. For example, Prestwick airport short stay parking facilities are located within walking distance of the airport terminal.

When pre-booking your parking space be sure to check that you are selecting the car park that is most suitable. Short stay car parking charges are often applied by the hour up to 12 to 24 hours and then you will pay a daily rate for any subsequent 24 hour period, or part thereof. For example, at Aberdeen airport you can pay for as little as 30 minutes (for £1) and a full day will cost £10.50, as will every subsequent day in the short stay car park.

Medium or Mid Stay Car Parking

Medium or mid stay airport car parks tend to be a little further away from the terminals than the short stay car parks. E.g. Prestwick mid stay parking facilities are 5 minutes away. These car parks are often the best choice for travellers who will be away for more than one night but still want the convenience of a car park that is readily accessible from the airport terminal.

Long Stay Car Parking

Long stay or long term airport car parks will tend to be the furthest from the airport terminal. These are often the best choice for those who will be away for more than a few days, maybe on a two-week vacation. Transfer times to and from the airport terminals can be that little bit longer but this is not always the case. For example, Edinburgh airport’s long term parking facility with NCP is an on-airport car park that offers a transfer time of only 5 minutes using a free courtesy coach that runs every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The car parking facilities provided at each of the UKs airports vary considerably but one thing is certain. If you pre-book your parking space with Simply Parking you can save up to 60%.

Getting away from it all is generally recommended as a way to alleviate stress, relax and unwind. But travelling to and from your holiday destination with your family can sometimes be more stressful than work!

One simple way to make your journey less stressful is to take advantage of any ‘meet and greet’ or ‘chaffeur parking’ options that may be available from your airport. Both Secure Airparks and Park and Fly Airport car parks at Edinburgh airport offer this excellent service.

Book your ‘meet and greet’ parking space in advance and your car will be taken from the airport terminal by a chauffeur who will park it securely on your behalf. When you return a chauffeur will retrieve your car and deliver it back to the terminal where you and your family can then load up the duty free and head homewards, absolutely hassle free.

Meet and greet provides you with a little bit of luxury precisely when you need it. You don’t need to concern yourself with locating your car in the car parks and transfering by bus or on foot between the terminal and your vehicle. All you need to do is book in advance and let the chauffeur do the rest. This service is particularly popular during the winter months when the weather can be wet, windy and cold. Not much fun when you’ve just returned from somewhere sunny and warm.

Flaws in the design of the £210 million Glasgow Airport Rail Link have been cited as the reason behind the replacement of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport who have, so far, been responsible for the link.

The national body, Transport Scotland, is to take over management of the rail link which had been initiated and designed by SPT. The Scottish Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson, has stated that the switch was the right way ahead as the rail link was a ‘nationally significant project’.

The new link is expected to be open in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games which are to be held in Glasgow. Construction is due to start in 2009.