Gatwick Airport has begun rolling out a robotic valet parking service for passengers flying away for five days or more, deploying automated vehicles to lift and store cars without human drivers. The launch comes at a sensitive moment for the airport, arriving just days after an air traffic control failure caused widespread flight disruption and weeks after a fire destroyed around 140 vehicles at a nearby third-party car park, though Gatwick is pressing ahead as it prepares for future growth.

To use the service, drivers pull into a garage near the South Terminal, scan a QR code and leave their car in a dedicated "parking suite," where a small robot then lifts and moves it to an outdoor space; on return, the system is alerted when the flight lands so the car is ready by the time passengers clear passport control and baggage collection. It costs about £109 for five days, runs on weekdays from 9am to 5pm, and roughly five per cent of vehicles — including some SUVs, low sports cars and vehicles with roof boxes — are not compatible. The service was developed with Stanley Robotics, whose chief executive called it a milestone for the firm's UK expansion, while Gatwick's Oli Bedford described it as a "game changer" that lets passengers keep their keys for peace of mind.