The 11th edition of our Airport Parking Network Event, held at London Heathrow, was our best attended yet, with more solution providers and airports represented than ever before. We were happy to see so many familiar faces at this year’s event and excited to welcome newcomers including Car & Away, Virta, Parking Sense, and Urban Air Purifier.
Our event opened with a panel discussion featuring Uber and focusing on the impact of TNCs and how to work with taxis. During the discussion, our panelists and attendees considered ways to develop a ground access model that can incorporate traditional and new methods of mobility.
Building on the success of the panel discussion, our attendees joined the Airport Manager Discussions which focused on a variety of topics including, revenue and yield management, managing capacity, future-proofing, and frictionless parking. Having shared experiences during the discussions our airport attendees turned to solutions, in interactive workshops led by industry solution providers.
Our interactive workshops covered a great range of topics this year, from traditional technologies such as parking guidance and license plate technology to emerging solutions such as EV charging, voice, and cybersecurity. With quizzes and prizes to be won, the workshops gave our airport attendees the chance to consider new ways to solve their airport parking problems.
After a busy first day of discussions, workshops, and networking, it was time to celebrate in style, at a venue fit for a king! That’s right, this year’s venue was Hampton Court Palace, once home to Henry VIII, and it really didn’t disappoint! With canapes in the Cartoon Gallery and dinner in the Great Hall, there were plenty of opportunities for our attendees to mingle. Afterward, magicians and a DJ helped attendees unwind and bust some moves on the dancefloor.
Following an event filled with discussion, workshops and networking opportunities our open discussion gave attendees the chance to raise recurring topics from the previous two days. For the first time, we used Slido, an audience participation tool, to help ensure that our attendees' questions were answered. The word cloud below gives a good indication of the key points that came up during the discussion.
With the discussions and workshops over, it was time to take a tour of Heathrow’s airport parking facilities, to see some solutions in operation. The POD Parking was, of course, a highlight of the tour which also included long-stay parking facilities and the Terminal 2 forecourt.
We would like to thank all the airport parking managers, industry representatives and London Heathrow for helping us make this event a great success! And we look forward to welcoming you next year – the time and location will be announced shortly.
