Macquarie Bank's new airport rip-off

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...006010,00.html
Oh, when will they stop

MACQUARIE Bank is lining travellers up for another fee gouge at Sydney Airport, to coincide with the opening of a $65 million parking station at the international terminal.
Sydney Airports Corporation, owned by the bank known as "the millionaires factory'', is scrapping cheap long-term parking for international travellers in nearby Ross Smith Ave and relocating it to a new eight-level facility.
Free shuttle buses from the long-term car park to the international terminal will end this Friday, saving the bank $2 million a year.
The long-term car park will then be available for domestic passengers only.
In a total revamp of parking, the airport is also considering charging hire car operators a whopping $18,000 a year for a single designated space at the international terminal.
Angry operators are refusing to pay because the proposal would lead to higher costs for customers.
Yesterday, Macquarie Bank refused to release its new fees for Sydney, which already has among the world's most expensive airport parking.
Under the present system, long-term parkers pay on a sliding scale ranging from $24 a day to $109 a week.
Short-term day rates at the domestic and international terminals are up to $46 a day.
"Parking fees for the car park will be released before the opening,'' Sydney Airports Corporation spokesman Michael Samaras said.
"Last year, the Productivity Commission reported that Sydney Airport's car parking charges are around one-third less than in the CBD, where a premium is also paid for parking convenience.''
The airport reaped just under $70 million from parking during 2006-07.
Parking at Sydney Airport costs twice as much as at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport and more than at London's Heathrow.
The Federal Government, however, has washed its hands of the issue.
Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said that if anti-competitive conduct was found, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission could prosecute airports in the Federal Court.
But ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said keeping car park charges in check was ``a matter, I believe,for government''.
The new car park will have 2800 spaces, taking the total at the international terminal to 4300.
Mr Samaras said the car park was expected to open next month.
The proposal to charge hire car operators - who now pay $3 to park at the terminal for 75 minutes - $18,000 a year for a secure spot has been met with disdain.
"They haven't done their sums; it just doesn't add up,'' PV Limousines owner Wayne Hodder said.
"It's unjustifiable for the work we get through here - completely ill-considered.''
European Hire Cars owner John Galluzo said he would be better off parking in the public car park.
Mr Samaras said negotiations with hire car companies for reserved spots were progressing positively.
Frank Carioti, at Sydney Airport yesterday to farewell his son Alex, said parking costs were already excessive and predicted a rise once the facility opened.
"Next, they'll be charging pedestrians just to walk here,'' Mr Carioti said.
Craig Thompson, of Heathcote, who was flying to Hamilton Island with his family, said he liked to use the present long-term car park because it was cheaper than catching a cab.

[Adam T]

I wonder where this new 8 story facility is going to come from? Are they going to buy out the Park 'N' Fly mob who are over near Krispy Kreme?

[Micheil Keegan]

A new one has just been built in the existing International Terminal Carpark.

[D Chan]

the only good news out of this is for the long term car parking operators near the airport e.g. park and fly and the other one somewhere in Wolli Creek? - this guarantees them a lot more business!

[Justin L]

Before they started building the 8-storey facility, didn't they already relocate the international long term parking from the domestic long term car park to the back of the current international terminal car park? I know they used to be together for years before all that. Didn't they only move it temporarily back to the domestic long term carpark while they were constructing the new facility? And won't they re-establish an international long term carpark at the new facility (even though the prices were higher than Ross Smith Avenue)?

While I agree the carparking costs at Sydney Airport are very expensive, that aside, personally from a convenience standpoint for international travellers, a long term car park near the international terminal would be better than the Ross Smith Avenue location.

[Daniel K]

There goes using the long term carpark bus to transfer between terminals

[Graham B]

And what about the fee they want to charge hire cars? $18000 a year for a dedicated parking place. At the moment they pay $3.00 to park for 75 minutes. So if you divide the $18000 by $3 and then by 365(days) it works out they would have to do 16 pick ups a day every day of the year ..... a physical impossibilty

Wow! No wonder Macquarie bank makes so much money ... there number crunchers CANT ADD UP.

Benjo

[Philip Argy]

There's something fundamentally wrong going on here. There must be some kind of constitutional right to go to and fro a federal airport as a hire car or taxi driver. If there is some facility especially provided that they want to charge for, that is a different issue, but if I book a hire car I cannot see by what legal principle the airport operator can tell my hire car opertor it has to pay to come onto airport property to collect me and take me home.

The vibe isn't right and perhaps we need a real case of The Castle to prove I'm right!

Otherwise bring me a parachute and let me jump out overhead my back yard!

[Paul McFarlane]

In a total revamp of parking, the airport is also considering charging hire car operators a whopping $18,000 a year for a single designated space at the international terminal.

...but if I book a hire car I cannot see by what legal principle the airport operator can tell my hire car opertor it has to pay to come onto airport property to collect me and take me home...

When I read that article, I was of the understanding that they were talking about hire cars that are based at the airport (ie Hertz, Avis, Budget etc) not the ones that come pick you up.

Now, living where I do, I don't have a good understanding of the international layout, but that was the inference I got.

regards


Paul M

[Graham B]

The article in Sundays papers said that the hire car operators now pay $3 for 75minutes at the moment so they are refering to hire cars ...not RENTAL cars.. also the rental companieswould need a lot more than just the ONE parking space wouldn't you think?

Benjo