Pre-book Your Airport Parking This Mid Term Break Says Consumer Council – It Could Save You Over £25
Saturday 31 October 2009
If you are jetting off for mid term break, don’t forget to pre-book your airport parking. This is the advice from the Consumer Council after a survey it undertook showed that booking airport car parking in advance can result in savings of up to £27.30 for a week’s parking. The survey was done for the BBC’s On Your Behalf travel special (aired today 31 October 2009).
Aodhan O’Donnell, Head of Transport at the Consumer Council said, “The cost to park at the airport is often the last thing we consider when we’re taking a break but it can add a lot to the overall price of our holiday. By turning up and paying at the airport, consumers could pay anything between £28 and £48 for seven days parking across our three airports[a]. Meanwhile, prepaying by phone or online[b] can bring savings of over 56 per cent off the gate price[c].
“Consumers should also consider taking public transport as buses serve all three airports. If there is more than one person travelling taxis can also be a convenient and cheaper option than parking. Whatever you choose, the Consumer Council’s advice is don’t leave it to the last minute to plan your journey to and from the airport. Compare prices for each transport option, compare the cost of car parks (airport owned and privately owned) and if you decide to park at the airport, book in advance!”
NOTES TO THE EDITOR
Consumer Council survey of airport car parking charges
October 2009
1) Short Stay Comparisons (Gate Prices Only)
| NI Airports | |||
| BelfastCity | Belfast Int | City of Derry | |
| First 10 mins | Free | £1.00 | Free |
| Up to 30 mins | £2.00 | £1.00 | £2.00 |
| 30 mins - 1 hour | £4.00 | £3.20 | £3.00 |
| 1 - 2 hours | £6.20 | £6.40 | £3.50 |
| 2 - 3 hours | £9.70 | £9.60 | £8.00 |
| 3 - 4 hours | £9.70 | £12.80 | £8.00 |
| 4 - 5 hours | £12.00 | £16.00 | £8.00 |
| 5 - 6 hours | £12.00 | £19.20 | £8.00 |
| 6 - 7 hours | £14.50 | £22.40 | £8.00 |
| 7 - 8 hours | £14.50 | £25.60 | £8.00 |
| 8 - 9 hours | £21.00 | £28.80 | £8.00 |
| 9 - 10 hours | £21.00 | £32.30 | £8.00 |
| 10 -11 hours | £21.00 | £32.30 | £8.00 |
| 11 - 12 hours | £21.00 | £32.30 | £8.00 |
| 12- 24 hours | £27.00 | £32.30 | £8.00 |
| Extra Day | £27.00 | £32.30 |
2) Long Stay Comparisons – (Gate Prices only)
| NI Airports | |||
| Length of Stay | BelfastCity | BelfastInt | City of Derry |
| 1 day | £16.00 | £10.80 | £8.00 |
| 2 days | £21.00 | £21.60 | £16.00 |
| 3 days | £28.00 | £32.40 | £20.00 |
| 4 days | £34.00 | £43.20 | £22.00 |
| 5 days | £36.00 | £43.20 | £24.00 |
| 6 days | £38.00 | £43.20 | £24.00 |
| 7 days | £41.00 | £48.30 | £28.00 |
3) Comparison of Prices in NI - gate and online (Long stay)
| NI PRICES | |||||
| Length of stay | BIA Price at gate | BIA Price online | GBBCA Price at gate | GBBCA Price online | CODA Price at gate |
| 1 day | £10.80 | £9.00 | £16.00 | £10.82 | £8.00 |
| 2 days | £21.60 | £9.00 | £21.00 | £19.57 | £16.00 |
| 3 days | £32.40 | £9.00 | £28.00 | £27.30 | £20.00 |
| 4 days | £43.20 | £12.00 | £34.00 | £32.96 | £22.00 |
| 5 days | £43.20 | £15.00 | £36.00 | £35.00 | £24.00 |
| 6 days | £43.20 | £18.00 | £38.00 | £36.00 | £24.00 |
| 7 days | £48.30 | £21.00 | £41.00 | £37.00 | £28.00 |
· BIA car parking online for long stay is the cheapest (whereas paying at gate at BIA was the most expensive)
· Further comparisons between airport parking charges at Dublin Airport and Glasgow and Liverpool John Lennon airports can be found on the Consumer Council’s website at www.consumercouncil.org.uk.
· The airport parking survey was done for the BBC’s On Your Behalf travel special (aired on the 31 October 2009).
- Consumer Council media contact: Paula Gunn, telephone, 028 9067 4816 or e-mail, pgunn@consumercouncil.org.uk
- The Consumer Council is an independent consumer organisation, working to bring about change to benefit Northern Ireland’s consumers. The Council campaigns for high standards of service and protection and a fair deal for all. It also carries out research, gives advice and publishes reports and other publications. It deals with individual complaints about buses, trains, planes, ferries, natural gas, electricity, coal and water.
- For more information, visit our website at www.consumercouncil.org.uk
