Airport parking at LAX is never an easy choice.

There are a number of options, but all of them are flawed.

Since 2015, most lots in the area degraded their shuttle service. So you're stuck waiting in the crowded and auto-exhaust-heavy median of LAX for up to 90 minutes to get a shuttle back.

I used to use a lot called "105 Airport Parking", until they developed this problem. Then I started looking for another lot to use, but yet I found review after review claiming nearly all other lots had the same problem.

The only lot which had a shuttle service with a good reputation was The Parking Spot. They are the most expensive, but usually you can find a weekly rate coupon to where the price comes down to closer to what the cheaper lots charge (though still more expensive).

In September I used them without incident, though I did see one disturbing thing where an employee moving luggage bumped a parked car, and didn't bother stopping to see if he damaged anything. (I checked and it turned out there was no damage, but there easily could have been.) But I chalked this up to something that will happen in any lot.

I usually hate valet parking. I avoid it like the plague, for many reasons. Most notably, I hate the long wait to get your car back (and having no idea whether the wait will be 5 minutes or 30 minutes), and I hate the idea that others will be driving my car and will deny any damage they do to it.

The airport is one exception. Self parking is a huge pain in the ass, especially if you are traveling as a family and have a lot of luggage. So I use valet.



I got back last night to LAX and picked up my car after being gone 7 1/2 days. The good news is that there was no damage.

However, I noticed that my car's seat was leaned way back. When I say "leaned", I mean reclined. It is already scooted all the way back because I'm tall. This was weird, as even someone taller than me would not want to drive with the seat reclined. However, I dismissed this as simply an idiot who didn't know how to work the seat controls.

Then I started the car, and the radio came on. It was tuned to the last station listened to -- Power 106 (105.9 FM).

I never listen to that station, as it's hip-hop and I don't like that type of music.

This meant that someone turned on my radio (it was off when I got there), changed my radio to that station, AND left the radio on before exiting the car.



I then looked at the odometer. I always take a picture of it before I leave my car with a valet.

The car had 0.4 miles driven since I left it. That's nothing like the scene in Ferris Bueller, but it seemed way too much for simply valet parking the car and bringing it back, unless the lot was far away.



I inquired about where the valet lot is. I was told it's directly across the street. So 0.4 miles made zero sense.

At this point, it became clear to me that the valet(s) there must have decided to take my BMW out for a relaxing break to a nearby property, where they reclined back and listened to their favorite hip-hop station for awhile. Maybe they even test-drove it around the block.

I told the night manager about all of this. He documented everything. He saw my proof about the odometer and admitted that the 0.4 miles "did not make sense". He claimed that there are cameras everywhere, even dating back to March 25th when I left it.

I am supposed to get a call back from the location's general manager on Monday.

My guess is that they will deny everything.

Cliffs: Valet parking sucks.