birder

I just used the Koru "valet" parking at Auckland International for the first time. I use "valet" in quote marks because I don't think Air NZ actually understands what "valet" means. Just as a reference, the almighty wikipedia says, "In contrast to "self-parking", where customers find a parking space on their own, customers' vehicles are parked for them by a person called a valet."

I drove into the valet area slowly looking for someone who would meet us, take the keys and park the car. There was no one. There were no signs. I had no idea what to do. There was some random gentleman standing around and I asked him. He said, "I think you park your car and then take the keys into a desk in the airport."

Indeed, that is what you do. I don't understand the "valet" in this parking service. It's just a parking lot that's close to the airport, and where you have to give them your keys in case they need to move your car.

I was actually looking forward to saving some time using the valet parking, because I was running a bit late. But actually it took me more time because I had to find the koru desk and then wait around while they "processed" my keys. When I returned to Auckland, again, no "valet" involved. At the Koru desk, they simply handed me my keys - without so much as a thank you, I might add.

Am I missing something here? Is "valet parking" understood to be something different in NZ? Why doesn't Air NZ have a sign in the valet parking area to let people know that it's really not valet parking, and they need to park the car themselves and take the keys into the koru desk at the airport? Or am I the only person to be befuddled by Air NZ's "valet" parking with no valet?