Rant: Parking rip-off at the Melbourne Airport
The cost of parking undercover at the Melbourne airport is ridiculous! The first 2 hours for $15. Where else in Melbourne do you have to pay so much? Where else can a parking operator charge so much money and get away with it?
Now I understand why there are many vehicles parked along the freeway towards the airport. It is illegal but there is certainly no incentive here to do the right thing because you will only get ripped off at the airport. Do the parking operators expect people to drop off their relatives and leave without seeing them through checking-in and waiting for them to go through customs?
Or do the operators expect relatives and friends to call when they have landed at the airport just so they will be picked up at the curbside? Not that it is possible because there is no area at the airport for pick-ups for arrivals, unless you use the drop-off area for departure. Unless of course, you are willing to pay $2 for 20 minutes worth of parking.
I wish there is an authority we can complain to for this rip-off. It is a monopoly and gives the consumer no choices. It is cheaper to park in the long term parking for $25 per day if you plan to stay for more than 3 hours. But sometimes it is not possible to know in advance how long one will be at the airport.
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I agree it is a ripoff. And if you look at the competitors for long term parking they all charge about the same or more to park. Although its still cheaper than parking in the city.
Im going on vacation next week and have to either park my car at the airport or get a taxi.
Long term parking=$80 Taxi round trip $80
Have to catch 6am flight so don’t want to mess around with skybus. Looks like I’m stuck.
A total ripoff! But don’t you love this selling sentence on their website:
“Quickies in the Car Park: $2 for 20 minutes
For only $2 you can park in the Short Term Car Park for up to 20 minutes, the perfect option for welcoming home or seeing off your friends and family.”
But they don’t mention that you must be a pretty good sprinter to accomplish this, not to mention families with older relatives (luggage? forget it!).
And what about “…the perfect option…”? Do we have other options? No, unless you go and have a meal at McDonalds each time you visit the airport.
I went to Canberra (don’t ask) the other day and thought I’d be a little clever and park at the “long term undercover” parking. I spent one night in Canbrrrrrra, and paid….$79. I couldn’t believe it! Okay, stupidly I didn’t read that it was based on a calender day……would have been better to park in the Qantas valet….little bit more, but at least I’d get the points and the car wouldn’t have been broken into……