gatwick luggage trollys
Author
Discussion

Traffic

Original Poster:

381 posts

50 months

Saturday 27th September
quotequote all
Hello

Leaving Gatwick a few years ago arrived at Gatwick train station and there was no sign of any luggage trolleys for quite a long way into the main buildings.

I am getting dropped off either at main drop off, or at the short-term parking, so does anyone know if I will have similar difficulties finding a trolley or can I expect to find them closeby

Thanks in advance

brums evil twin

408 posts

256 months

Monday 29th September
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They also need £1 to get one


Mr Pointy

12,707 posts

179 months

Monday 29th September
quotequote all
brums evil twin said:
They also need £1 to get one
These work well & mean you don't have to carry coins around with you:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326553481186

OP if you look at this video of the South drop off you can see trolley parks al the way down the parking area:
https://youtu.be/2mZeemb-4oM?feature=shared&t=...

Traffic

Original Poster:

381 posts

50 months

Thursday 2nd October
quotequote all
brums evil twin said:
They also need £1 to get one
WTF?

I ended up leaving my second bag back in the UK....

Gatwick is seriously horrible, £7 for a drop off and then the above for a trolley.


Mr Pointy

12,707 posts

179 months

Thursday 2nd October
quotequote all
Traffic said:
WTF?

I ended up leaving my second bag back in the UK....

Gatwick is seriously horrible, £7 for a drop off and then the above for a trolley.
You get it back when you park the trolley - it just releases the linking chain like at supermarkets.

captain_cynic

16,014 posts

115 months

Thursday 2nd October
quotequote all
Mr Pointy said:
Traffic said:
WTF?

I ended up leaving my second bag back in the UK....

Gatwick is seriously horrible, £7 for a drop off and then the above for a trolley.
You get it back when you park the trolley - it just releases the linking chain like at supermarkets.
Yep... Abandoning a bag just to save £1 that youncan get back seems silly.

Personally I just carry my stuff. If I can't carry my bags unaided I've packed too much.

Paying a deposit for a trolly is normal in most places as it's how they encourage you to return the trolley rather than just abandon it in the car park. Can't blame them. Cheaper than the myriad of defences they've set up at Heathrow to stop you from taking the trolley into the car park.

So if you're that opposed to carrying the enormous weight of a £1 coin, get one of those fluro-pink flat dildo looking things mentioned above. Personally I'd just carry the coin but each to his own.

//j17

4,858 posts

243 months

Thursday 2nd October
quotequote all
captain_cynic said:
Yep... Abandoning a bag just to save £1 that youncan get back seems silly.

Personally I just carry my stuff. If I can't carry my bags unaided I've packed too much.
And given the OP was able to leave the bag in the UK sounds like it was an unnecessary bag anyway!

Traffic

Original Poster:

381 posts

50 months

Thursday 2nd October
quotequote all
Mr Pointy said:
You get it back when you park the trolley - it just releases the linking chain like at supermarkets.
So I need to go to a foreign exchange first?

Traffic

Original Poster:

381 posts

50 months

Thursday 2nd October
quotequote all
captain_cynic said:
Yep... Abandoning a bag just to save £1 that youncan get back seems silly.

Personally I just carry my stuff. If I can't carry my bags unaided I've packed too much.

Paying a deposit for a trolly is normal in most places as it's how they encourage you to return the trolley rather than just abandon it in the car park. Can't blame them. Cheaper than the myriad of defences they've set up at Heathrow to stop you from taking the trolley into the car park.

So if you're that opposed to carrying the enormous weight of a £1 coin, get one of those fluro-pink flat dildo looking things mentioned above. Personally I'd just carry the coin but each to his own.
I had two bags (50KG) and a young child with me, as expressed in my first post, stewick has nothing from the train station until well inside the terminal last time I flew from the hellhole it is.

Why does it work for free at better airports around Europe?

Edited by Traffic on Thursday 2nd October 20:41


Edited by Traffic on Thursday 2nd October 20:42

Traffic

Original Poster:

381 posts

50 months

Thursday 2nd October
quotequote all
//j17 said:
And given the OP was able to leave the bag in the UK sounds like it was an unnecessary bag anyway!
Precisely and thank you - I am slowly moving my possessions out of the UK.

alangla

6,032 posts

201 months

Thursday 2nd October
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Traffic said:
So I need to go to a foreign exchange first?
Most shopping trolley lock mechanisms will also take a €1 coin instead of £1. Anyway, at least you get it back. Last time I was at Manchester, the trolley parking things wanted £1, €2 or a card and you got nothing back!



Edited by alangla on Thursday 2nd October 20:50

Traffic

Original Poster:

381 posts

50 months

Friday 3rd October
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alangla said:
Most shopping trolley lock mechanisms will also take a 1 coin instead of £1. Anyway, at least you get it back. Last time I was at Manchester, the trolley parking things wanted £1, 2 or a card and you got nothing back!



Edited by alangla on Thursday 2nd October 20:50
I have not had any cash of any kind for years....

alangla

6,032 posts

201 months

Friday 3rd October
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Traffic said:
I have not had any cash of any kind for years....
You’re kind of limiting yourself a bit there, both in your choice of airport and your choice of supermarket. It is entirely your choice though.

FWIW, I do actually agree with your general point, I’ve been to several Spanish airports over the last few years, all run by the state operator AENA and trollies are both free and plentiful. US airports, on the other hand, were where I first encountered the “pay to rent” abominations that can be found at Manchester (and probably East Midlands and Stansted)

Traffic

Original Poster:

381 posts

50 months

Friday 3rd October
quotequote all
alangla said:
You re kind of limiting yourself a bit there, both in your choice of airport and your choice of supermarket. It is entirely your choice though.

FWIW, I do actually agree with your general point, I ve been to several Spanish airports over the last few years, all run by the state operator AENA and trollies are both free and plentiful. US airports, on the other hand, were where I first encountered the pay to rent abominations that can be found at Manchester (and probably East Midlands and Stansted)
I have lived in Sweden for several years and cash is just not used for anything anymore except perhaps the tooth fairy.

No idea why Gatwick thinks I am going to steal one of their trolleys, also the drop off charge is just daylight robbery when it is just total chaos in that area. I haven't passed through the airport for a few years but what a decline :-(

redstar1

249 posts

11 months

Friday 3rd October
quotequote all
Traffic said:
Why does it work for free at better airports around Europe?
Europeans generally won't leave trolleys laying around (supermarkets or airports), they'll put them back. That's my experience anyway.