Doubling fees for Dublin parking :: 26/11/2007 :: Airport Parking News

Fees for parking at Dublin Airport are doubling

Parking at Dublin Airport just got twice as expensive for short-term parkers.

The rate for daily parking at the airport increased by 50% and is now E40 (£28). For those staying at the airport for more than one hour, hourly parking is available for E4.50 (£3.22) while long-term parking has been increased to E9.50 (£6.80) per day.

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) says that the new fee scheme was designed to increase the number of spaces available for short term parkers who are at the airport for less than one hour. A spokesperson for the DAA said that the majority of parking customers pay a small fee for this service and that fee has remained unchanged. Parkers will still pay just E1.50 (£1) for up to 30 minutes and E3 (£2) for up to one hour.

"These customers typically visit the airport to meet and greet incoming passengers. This means there will be no increase in car parking charges for the majority of users of the short-term car parks at Dublin airport," the DAA said.

According to budget airline Ryanair, the DAA's estimates are wrong and there are less short term parkers than they realize. In addition, the airline was quick to point out that the rate of parking has doubled in a remarkably short period of time, just two years.

Head of Communications for Ryanair, Peter Sherrard said: "The only way to address this blatant price gouging is to allow competing terminals at Dublin Airport, which would force the DAA to improve its services and lower costs to the traveling public.

"The only reason why the DAA is able to abuse the traveling public by doubling car park charges is because the DAA is a monopoly with no effective regulator."

The last increases in parking rates at Dublin Airport occurred in January 2006.