Bristol Airport has confirmed it raises the prices to park there depending on how many spaces are left, after a man shared his shock at being quoted an eye-watering £105.99 to park at the airport for 24 hours.
Davy McGimpsey said it was ‘absolutely scandalous’ that this happens, and the price to park at the airport should be set and never change depending on demand. The Belfast man, who is based in Bristol, needed to fly back to Belfast for 24 hours at short notice, and said he ended up getting a taxi to and from the airport as a cheaper option.
He said when he went to book parking, all the car parks were full except for the new multi-storey car park, which quoted him £105.99 for a 24 hour stay - that’s £4.41 an hour. When Bristol Live made enquiries about parking at the airport for 24 hours, the airport’s website quoted a variety of figures depending on the car park, but all around £80-£90.
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Bristol Airport confirmed prices depend on demand and availability, and this isn’t a new thing, so prices can differ. Mr McGimpsey discovered that June is a busy month so prices are higher, and the multi-storey is the most expensive option so when the other car parks are full up, the prices there rise the most.
“We have a choice and a variety of car parking options for customers and booking online with us direct guarantees the best price,” said an airport spokesperson. “Prices are determined automatically based on demand so the best prices are obtained the earlier you can book.
“Bristol Airport has a free one-hour car park for pick-ups and drop offs, with courtesy buses to the terminal. Alternatively, there are many direct bus and coach services linking the Airport with the city, South West, and South Wales,” he added.
Mr McGimpsey said: “It’s not always possible to book in advance but for 24 hours' parking, one day, this is absolutely scandalous. Don’t blame it on demand. Don’t blame it on algorithms. Blame it on the boogie. The cost of a space should be the cost of a space.”
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