Holidaymakers stranded after car parking firm based at Bournemouth Airport goes bust

Dozens of car keys were dumped at Bournemouth Airport without warning, leaving staff to pick up the pieces

Passengers returned to Bournemouth Airport to find their car keys dumped (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Distressed holidaymakers returned from holiday to discover their car keys had been dumped at Bournemouth Airport after an off-site parking firm ceased trading without warning.

They keys to 300 vehicles were left at the airport’s information desk by a BOMO Parking Services employee who left immediately afterwards.

A statement on BOMO Parking Service’s website read: “BOMO Parking Services has been the target of a sustained attack online and offline by a known individual, which has had a catastrophic effect on the trading position, causing closure.

“BOMO Parking Services has ceased with immediate effect. All future car park bookings have been cancelled with immediate effect.”

Weary travellers had to approach airport staff for help in identifying their car keys.

The task of reuniting frustrated passengers with their vehicles fell to Bournemouth Airport staff, despite them having no connection with BOMO Parking Services.

In a gesture of goodwill, the airport waived drop-off charges for those needing to return to the airport to collect fellow passengers or visitors.

Airport staff also assisted passengers by transporting them from the terminal to collect their cars from the parking site.

While the majority of people were reported to have been reunited with their keys, one group of friends weren’t so lucky.

Lisa Russell from Southampton returned from a holiday in Malaga with her husband Michael and friends Charlotte and Aidan Thorn early this morning to find her car keys missing.

“We have had no warning and no message from the company explaining what’s happened,” she told the Dorset Echo.

“We used them once before and had absolutely no problem and even when we were leaving they were very friendly – there was no worry about anything going wrong.

“But to come back and find that your keys have been lost and you can’t get home is really upsetting."