A couple from Hertfordshire have experienced significant distress after their Jaguar I-Pace was extensively damaged by an employee of an official airport parking service at London Luton Airport. Dr Jeremy Bliss and his wife Tracey, residents of Radlett, left their luxury vehicle worth £70,000 with APCOA, the company managing the airport’s official priority service, only to find it had been crashed through a metal fence upon their return.

The incident took place late on the night of March 5, as the couple and two of their daughters arrived back from a five-day holiday in Alicante, Spain. Dr Bliss, a dentist running a practice in north London, described the situation as a “nightmare.” He had chosen the priority service expecting higher reliability and care for their ‘immaculate’ electric SUV, which they had purchased new in 2022.

Upon collecting their car, Mrs Bliss recounted to MailOnline how she waited outside the priority parking office while her husband was inside retrieving the keys. Mr Bliss emerged after a prolonged wait to inform her, “They’ve crashed the car.” The family was met with reluctance from APCOA staff to communicate details about the accident or allow them to see the vehicle immediately. Staff reportedly attempted to encourage the family to leave by taxi, claiming the car was undriveable, and the driver involved had been sent home after alleging he hit his head on the steering wheel during the collision.

After insisting on inspecting the vehicle, the couple were taken to the parking area where they found the Jaguar severely damaged, its front end badly crushed against a downed section of metal fencing. Photos revealed the deployment of the external pedestrian airbag, though notably not the driver’s airbag, with repair experts attributing this to the car possibly being airborne at the point of impact. The car was declared a write-off with an estimated repair cost of around £50,000.

Financially, the Blisses face a substantial shortfall. APCOA’s insurance has offered to pay only the current market value of the vehicle, assessed at just under £30,000. This leaves them with an outstanding finance balance of £14,000 to cover, alongside approximately £3,000 in other related expenses, including the £70.99 parking fee they believe should be refunded. Despite multiple attempts to communicate with APCOA’s management, including reaching out to senior directors, the Blisses say they have received no direct apology, explanation, or meaningful dialogue about the incident or the employee involved.

Mrs Bliss expressed frustration with the company’s handling of the matter, highlighting the lack of transparency and empathy: “It’s more about them protecting the driver and themselves rather than looking out for their customers.” She remains concerned about whether the responsible employee remains employed and whether any disciplinary action or additional training occurred.

APCOA issued a statement acknowledging the rarity of such an event and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused. They stated that they provided the Blisses with a hire car within 48 hours and conducted a full internal investigation. They also confirmed that parking charges would be refunded once the case is closed and informed that their insurance company has made a settlement offer. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for London Luton Airport emphasised that such incidents are extremely rare and affirmed their commitment to working closely with the parking service provider and insurer to resolve the matter promptly.

The Blisses have since cancelled all future bookings with APCOA’s parking services and said they would not recommend using the company again due to their experience and the ongoing stress resulting from the incident.

Source: Noah Wire Services