Meeting ‘arrivals’ at Gatwick Airport

Meeting ‘arrivals’ at Gatwick Airport is quite simple provided that you have all the necessary information.

• Which Terminal?
• Which Airline?
• What flight number?
• What time is it expected?

Once armed with this information you only need to get to the correct terminal at the correct time and wait in the correct place. Simple!

At what time will the flight really arrive?

If you live within reasonable travelling distance from London Gatwick Airport you can check for estimated arrival time;

• CEEFAX page(s) 446 447
• Click on the link in the page right margin.
• From any phone - Call Flight Information 0870 0002468 and follow the instructions

Once you arrive and before you go into the car-parks, stop off at the drop off area, call Flight Information on 0870 0002468, get the new ETA then make your own judgement as to when and where to wait. Ultimately you will have to go into the short term car park but, in real terms, not until your flight is on the ground. It will still leave plenty of time to get to the correct concourse and check the status of the flight you are meeting on the Arrivals Monitors.

Airlines may share the plane but have different flight numbers (very confusing!) so you may need to watch the monitors to see if the flight number you require is ‘shared’.

If the monitor still shows ‘Expected...’ then you may have time for a coffee or a browse around the ‘Village’ If the monitor shows ‘Landed at...’ then you need to allow at least 30 minutes for passengers to start trickling through the Arrivals ‘gate’.

If it shows ‘baggage in hall’ or ‘in customs’ then you need to be waiting for them - now!

Domestic arrivals tend to ‘clear’ faster than International arrivals.

Similarly those with only ‘hand’ luggage only usually clear a lot quicker.

There are many clear signs pointing the way at both terminals to the arrivals areas -

Be aware that at both terminals there is a Domestic arrivals area AND an International arrivals area. In both cases they are at opposite ends of the building. Ensure you are waiting in the correct place.

Where to wait?

North Terminal

The Arrivals area is on the ground floor. Domestic at the far left as you enter the building. The International arrivals area is to the right.

South Terminal

As you enter the main concourse from either the car parks or the railway station the International arrivals area is in the right-hand corner of the concourse. Those arriving are directed round in a curve to face the main concourse. They enter the main concourse with the stairs to “Gatwick Village” on their right. 

Domestic arrivals are at the far left hand end of the building, down with the departures. Just walk as far to the left as you can then turn right.

At both terminals it is best to wait directly in front of the place where the ‘exit’ spills out into the main concourse BUT that is where everybody waits! If you know the person/people you are meeting then I suggest that you stand along the side of the barrier and holler when you see them. If you don’t know them then have a large piece of card with you and write the name on it - hold it up conspicuously.

If all else fails go to the Airport Information desk and put a call out for them.

Alternative option

Under the right circumstances, have the person/people you are meeting give you a ring once they have collected their luggage and passed through passport control. You can then meet them outside the terminal building, thus saving parking fees. The secret is to ensure they have actually got their luggage and have passed through passport control! You cannot wait around in the ‘clients pickup’ area - the traffic wardens WILL move you on. This is the same process as used by the ‘meet & greet’ off-airport parking companies - it works.

It takes about 10 minutes for passengers to get from passport control to the client pickup point at South terminal and about 5 minutes at North terminal.

Client pickup area North terminal

This is the 3rd lane out, from the terminal building, at ground level. It gets busy at times so don’t loiter, just go around again if you have to.

Client pickup area South terminal

This is under the ramp, (normal drop off area, but past the hire car offices. past the traffic lights is better still. Again it gets busy at times so don’t loiter, just go around again if you have to.

Now the tricky bits.

You have arrived at the airport having left home in plenty of time, the roads have been good to you and you have arrived half an hour early. Now what? First things first, call Flight Information 0870 0002468 and follow the instructions. This will give you the current ETA. Armed with this update you can decide if it is best to go straight into the short term car-park or maybe park up somewhere and wait a while.

Where to park?

At both north and south terminal areas there is a garage and at south, a fast food outlet. All have parking facilities for their customers. Both garages offer a hot snack and a hot drink service and have toilets as does that fast food place, which also has a drive though. You could easily avail yourself of these facilities to while away 40 minutes or so.

You should be aware that the parking is reserved for clients of the premises so you really need to purchase something that can be consumed on the premises in order to comply with the ‘contractual obligations’. Also be aware that the parking facility is ‘managed’ by contractors who record your arrival and departure on camera and send you a fine in the post, eventually, if they consider that you have overstayed your welcome.

From experience I can say that the arrival of the ‘fine’ is so long after the event that you automatically incur a penalty for late payment. I invited them to discuss the matter in a court of law.

I am not advocating extended stays in these facilities, but you can reasonably enjoy a half decent cup of coffee while awaiting the arrival of the ‘plane.

If you need to wait longer then head off-airport. There are plenty of little places to park for a while, out of harms way.

Do not use the motorway as a route to a ‘rest’ area, it can get snarled up at a moments notice. For south terminal ‘meets’ go a bit north up the A23. For north terminal ‘meets’ head south down the A23 (OK, you have to go north, round the roundabout and back south) Trust me, it will make sense when you get there and as a bonus you will avoid any potential problems on the road between the two terminals on your return.

It would be wise to check with Flight Information now and then, particularly if you have a long wait. Things have a habit of changing.