Article: It costs more to park than fly

[ozbob]

From News.com.au click here!

It costs more to park than fly

It costs more to park than fly
September 2, 2012 12:00AM

PASSENGERS who snap up cheap return flights from Melbourne to Sydney this week will pay more in parking fees than the cost of their journey.

A Sunday Herald Sun investigation has found passengers who pay $90 for return flights for a two-day, mid-week break will now pay $115 to park in the multi-level, long-term carpark across the road from Melbourne Airport's main terminal.

From yesterday, the parking price rose from $99.

Passengers have hit out at the rising cost of parking at the busy airport.

Anna Keato, 35, from Murrumbeena, said: "I just popped in to pick up my brother and got charged $12. It seems too expensive.

"They could make it so much cheaper."

Two days' parking at Sydney Airport costs $112. It costs $76 in Perth, $49 in Brisbane and $32 in Hobart.

A two-day stay in a second long-term carpark at Melbourne costs $49 - but travellers have to catch a bus to the terminal.

"It is just too much," said Meryl Quarrell, 58, from Belgrave South.

"We pay taxes when we fly, so it isn't fair they charge people this much to park at the airport."

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the airport desperately needed a rail link to the city.

"It's time we had cheap, fast, reliable public transport to the airport," Mr Bowen said.

"Rail services to Tullamarine are long overdue."

Parking at the airport generated a massive $114.6 million in the past financial year.

Airport spokesman Matt Francis said carpark pricing reflected its convenience and proximity.
- David Hurley

[#Metro]

High parking costs = more PT use!!

Getting the 10 pm airtrain was a big win for us and I notice that Airtrain advertises it everywhere now.

[ButFli]

I've never really understood what the complaint is with parking prices. Especially the old "it's cheaper to X than park" argument. Maybe they could fly business class, that way parking would be cheaper than flying.

I'll note that you could leave a car at an off-site airport parking place for less than $90. Might require people to think ahead, though.