Airport parking prices to increase

The General Consumers` Council has today hit out at reports of an increase in parking fees at Belfast International Airport.

Motorists will face a 25% increase in short stay charges, while costs will increase by 100% in the long stay pre-booked car park.

Eddie Lynch, Head of Consumer Affairs at the Consumer Council said that the announcement is “ill-timed” and added that as well as facing a price hike in aviation fares, they are now facing an increase in parking fees at one of Northern Ireland's busiest airports.

He said: "We acknowledge that the pre-booking long stay charges are comparable and sometimes better than other similar sized airports.

"However, there is no guarantee that these prices will be sustained. The airport must give its customers a commitment that the best prices on offer today will be available for the rest of the year at least."

Mr Lynch added that there are currently four different tariffs available in three different car parks and passengers unknowingly could end up facing a hefty parking fee on the return to their vehicle.

Managing Director of Belfast International Airport, John Doran said: "This move is aimed at providing some of the best value airport parking on the island of Ireland and the new pre-booking system will deliver exactly that for our 5 million passengers.

"Indeed 93 per cent of passengers using the short stay car park will be unaffected or better off than they were in 2005."

(EF)