NEW ZEALAND. Improvements to car parking at Auckland Airport’s domestic terminal were introduced this week. The changes span both short and long term parking and the needs of travellers and non-travellers.
“These enhancements are in response to research into the needs of travellers and visitors to Auckland Airport,” said Auckland Airport General Manager Retail Nick Forbes. “The findings confirmed that a greater range of parking services are required to accommodate both short and longer term parking options.”
The existing one-level covered car park at the domestic terminal has been transformed into a parking area specifically for short stay parking. This is in recognition of security requirements at the terminal, and to alleviate congestion problems caused by motorists waiting on the forecourts.
“The new “˜Pick-up Drop-off’ car park is a safe and convenient place to wait for arriving passengers or to park while farewelling departing ones. This car park will suit the needs of the many motorists who park at the domestic terminal for less than four hours, with low-cost tariffs starting at just NZ$2 for stays up to twenty minutes,” commented Forbes. All 280 parking bays in the “˜Pick-up Drop-off’ car park are covered, providing shelter from the weather.
To meet the safety and security imperatives immediately outside the terminal Auckland Airport traffic marshals will strictly enforce the “˜no parking’ and “˜no waiting’ rules on the forecourt and direct motorists to the appropriate parking area.
A dedicated long-stay car park at the domestic terminal now exists, on the site formerly used for general parking. This car park is within an easy walk of the domestic terminal and provides an affordable option for long-stay parking. Research has demonstrated a strong interest from travellers for a long-stay parking option at the domestic terminal, similar to the facility already provided near the international terminal.
New tariffs are also in place for long-stay parking at both the international and domestic terminals, introducing capped rates and a daily rate which reduces for passengers who park for seven or more consecutive days. Uncovered long-stay parking at both the domestic and international terminals is now capped at NZ$79 for seven days (previously NZ$91), and then increases by NZ$10 per day for subsequent days (previously NZ$13 per day).
In addition to the new parking options at the domestic terminal, visitors who use the existing car parks will also enjoy benefits from a number of recently completed upgrades. These include an enlarged weather-proof canopy covering the auto-pay machines, improved lighting and footpaths to the Pick-up Drop-off and Covered car parks, plus refurbishments to entry and exit areas to improve visibility and safety.
Parking tariffs explained
“At Auckland Airport, parking is priced to reflect the customer’s length of stay, the proximity of the park to the terminal and whether the customer chooses covered or uncovered parking. All tariffs are set at competitive levels and offer value compared with alternative methods of transport to and from the airport,” said Forbes.
“Parking tariffs are set carefully, with consideration of the respective needs of different car park users and the range of parking facilities provided. We are very mindful of the perceived value of car parking and tariffs are deliberately set to encourage visitors to use the best car park to suit their needs.”
Auckland Airport regularly benchmarks its car park tariffs against comparable car park facilities in Auckland city, the city fringe areas, and other New Zealand and overseas airports. The first hour of parking at all car parks (with the exception of the premium Business parking facility) is set at NZ$6 – a tariff has been held at this price for the third year in succession.
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