Passengers stranded in 'torrential rain at 4am' at Birmingham Airport

• Were YOU stranded without your car? Email [email protected] 

Passengers were left stranded without their cars in the torrential rain at 4am after Birmingham airport's valet service went bust.

Customers arriving from flights abroad were unable to access their cars, told to report them stolen to police and forced to find alternative ways home.

Blue Circle suspended its operations on Monday night, May 20.

Passengers arriving into the airport early this morning, May 22, were forced to wait in torrential rain as they scrambled to find out how to get their cars back.

Maple Parking have since stepped in at the panicked airport and has spent the last two days trying to reunite customers with their cars.

Birmingham airport's parking was left in chaos after their third party valet company Blue Circle went bust and customers were left in the rain trying to find their cars (File image)

The valet service, which ceased operations on Monday night, left holiday-makers in fear as they returned from arrivals unable to locate their cars.

One passenger claims they were told that customer car keys 'had been lost' during the handover between operators.

Among the passengers caught up in chaos was John Woodward, 71, who had just returned from Turkey.

Upon arriving at 4.15am, John said he rang three numbers that had been provided to him on a slip for Blue Circle - but found all the lines were 'out of order'.

He said: 'I had seen on social media that Blue Circle Parking had gone bust so I expected that calls would not be answered and we would have to walk across to the meet and greet and wait whilst they got the car. We did that, in torrential rain, and went into the reception and handed in my parking slip.

'I was told "we are Maple Parking and we run the parking now but you need to see that man outside next to the ticket machine to get your car". I walked round to the machine and stood in the queue.

'The two elderly couples in front of me had to get home to Nottingham and Bristol and they were told "we have no idea where your cars are and you need to report them as stolen to West Midlands Police".

The gentleman going to Bristol called West Midlands Police to explain the situation and he said he was told "it is a civil matter and nothing to do with the police".

John then explained that Birmingham Airport told customers that the issue was linked to a third party and they were not responsible for the difficulties.

In a desperate bid to get home, families contacted taxi firms and in some cases were quoted more than £150 to get back.

John was also told by Maple Parking employees that they were having difficulty as there was no information for them to help reunite cars with their owners.

Despite John managing to get home safely he said he was frustrated with Birmingham Airport and TUI.

He said: 'They knew yesterday that Blue Circle Parking had gone bust, as I knew, but had made no plans whatsoever to find those cars for distraught returning holidaymakers.

'I feel that TUI and Birmingham Airport could have arranged for someone to be in arrivals to explain the situation and a way forward rather than allow people to walk across to the parking in the rain and then be told 'your car is missing..'

Another passenger who landed at 1am was told that keys had been lost in the handover process and he was 'one of the lucky ones'.'

Tom Kiss, who runs Maple Parking, said he had had to divert staff from Gatwick to help sort out the chaos at Birmingham and admitted that the task was a difficult one as keys had been lost and returning sun-seekers were worried.

He said: 'We don't know how many car at the moment and obviously some of them here are from people still away so it will take a couple of weeks to sort out.'

'We're just trying to reunite owners with their cars as soon as possible.'

A Birmingham Airport spokesperson said: 'We have been informed by the off-site meet and greet parking provider, Blue Circle, that it has suspended operations. Blue Circle customers with future bookings, with this provider, will be contacted by the operator.

'Customers using Blue Circle parking may also have booked through Holiday Extras and other parking consolidators. We advise customers to check and contact their booking provider accordingly.

'The airport, and its parking partner NCP, are trying to assist customers on return who are immediately impacted by the cessation of the Blue Circle service. For any customers that have their parking plans disrupted, on-site official Birmingham Airport parking options can be booked here.'

West Midlands Police and Blue Circle have been approached for comment.

Read more