A holidaymaker claims her relaxing break was ruined when she returned to Manchester Airport to find her car had been left 'undrivable' by a meet and greet parking service.
Madeline Tretton, from Lytham, had enjoyed 10 days in Gran Canaria but was met by a freezing three hour wait for her vehicle to be returned. And when it finally arrived, she claims it was covered in mud and damaged so badly she couldn't drive it home, LancsLive reports.
By the time she landed on March 10, it was already 10pm. The grandmother told LancsLive she hoped to have some peace of mind by using the parking service. Manchester Airport said they are not associated with the company stated in any way.
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It was supposed to be as simple as dropping her car off with someone at the airport, then having it returned after landing in the UK. But instead of a stress-free drive home, Madeline claims she was slapped with a repair bill of £700.
The 82-year-old, who also suffers from mobility issues and has a heart condition said the holiday "had been brilliant but was ruined by the service". She said the car 'was covered in mud inside and out also had damage to the underside panel, the axel and shock absorbers'.
She explained: "I contacted [the parking company] who said they were investigating but then ignored my calls and e-mails."
Madeline had to pay for the damage herself and says she has been left without a car for four weeks while it was in the garage having the necessary repairs done and waiting for parts. And she claims the car still isn't right.
She continued: "The car is still not right, one of the wheels rattles when I drive, I am so disappointed by the way the company handled my complaint and we even have video evidence of the car at Terminal 1 with the damage but the company continue to ignore us."
Madeline says she used a company which shares an address with one listed on Companies House. Both have been approached for a comment but failed to reply in time - either to LancsLive or Madeline and her family.
A spokesperson for Charlie Cornish’s (CEO) office at Manchester Airport said: "I can confirm that Manchester Airports Group (MAG) is not associated with the company stated in any way. We will continue to support the police and our neighbouring councils’ trading standards teams in doing all we can to raise awareness and tackle this issue.
"We encourage customers to use initiatives such as Park Mark and the Government-backed ‘Buy with Confidence’ scheme to find an operator that has undergone a series of detailed checks."
Madeline has since filed to small claims for the damage to her car and the case continues. She is warning other drivers going abroad this summer to "be very careful" when booking a meet and greet company because it has cost her an extra £700 on what was a lovely holiday through no fault of her own.
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