Antrim Airport - at it again...

Keelin_-_Consumer_Council

Hi all,
The Consumer Council is lobbying Belfast International Airport on this decision. Although it's ultimately a commercial decision, our role is to represent all passengers flying into or out of Northern Ireland, so we want to make sure you're getting a fair deal. We have already asked the airport to consider other options such as a minimum 'grace period' for dropping off/picking up with no charge, or alternatively to dedicate a zone for free drop off / pick up within one of their other carparks. We're keen to hear from as many consumers as possible to find out whether the £1 charge will affect their travel plans and how they will access the airport, so that we can pass people's views on to BIA.

You can get in touch with us by posting a reply here or, if you'd prefer, you can contact us via facebook (Consumer Council NI) or twitter (@Consumer Council). Alternatively if you'd prefer to speak to someone you can call us on 0800 121 6022. As well as transport passengers we also represent water and energy consumers in Northern Ireland so feel free to get in touch with us about any issues you have with utilities too.

Regards
Keelin

tara747

Some suggestions:

Pay in coppers
Smear your coin(s) with jam/honey etc before inserting
Write to your local MP and MLA and councillors
Complain to BIA!!!

anotherginger

just out of interest, are there any pay nothing options?

everyone keeps on saying 'oh but luton charge there', but they arent mentioning that luton also have a medium term carpark where you can pick up and drop off for free. its walkable to the terminal but there are frequent buses as well.

i wouldn't mind paying the quid to use the drop off zone if i was in a rush, but are the international airport offering a range of pricing options to people?

Keelin_-_Consumer_Council

No, currently Belfast International Airport is not offering any option for pick up / drop off which don't incur a charge. The Consumer Council is lobbying BIA to offer either a minimum 'grace period' where there is no fee, or alternatively to do as Luton and some other airports do - provide a zone within one of their other carparks which allows drop off and pick up without any charge. We've spoken and written to them making these suggestions and spoken in the media about it. We'll continue to lobby on the issue on consumers' behalf.

anotherginger

Keelin_-_Consumer_Council wrote: »

No, currently Belfast International Airport is not offering any option for pick up / drop off which don't incur a charge.

I think its terrible that they have not considered a no charge area.

Please see the luton airport plan, which is an airport that i understand to be under the same ownership as belfast international (http://www.london-luton.co.uk/en/content/2/31/by-road.html)

Their medium term car park option is - FREE Drop Off, FREE Pick Up and FREE Parking for up to 60 minutes. 2 minute* FREE bus ride to the terminal.

The free drop off pick up zone takes up no more than a row of parking spaces.

As I said before, its also easily walkable to the terminal building...and there are no rules to say that you must stay with your car, so you are free to go meet the people you are picking up from with the terminal.

CityWalk_2

Just to add fuel to the fire but I drop my other half to work 5 days a week and pick her up again after at the airport. Thats an extra £10 a week or £500 a year!!! Just to go to work.

After complaining to the Airport, they didn't want to no.

Non airport taxi's will also add the cost on to their fares.

jetboy

If they get away with it then you can expect it down at the City too by the year end. The whole place needs knocked down and rebuilt- looks like we'll be paying for it. It's also the only place I know that charge you for plastic bags too (apart from LTN - same money grabbing owners)

anotherginger

sorry for going off topic, but the plastic bag charge annoys me too!

i was living in birmingham for a bit, and on flying to belfast on weekend i used a sealable freezer bag which birmingham airport security said was fine. of course, on the way back, belfast security decides its not fine, wouldn't believe me that i was in fact on a return journey, accused me of lying that i had used the bag before, i couldn't believe they were making such a fuss of a small sealable bag which was the exact same dimension as their bags. no common sense was applied by them at all.

30 minutes (?!) and one quid later, i was allowed on my way.

Keelin_-_Consumer_Council

Hi all,

Better news for passengers at Belfast International Airport - you can now avoid the £1 charge because there is a free 10 minute grace period for dropping off or picking up at the long stay car park. The frustrating thing is that this has always been the case - but the airport never told anyone about it. And it was only discovered after the Consumer Council insisted on having a meeting with the airport to discuss the issue of the £1 charge.

We are keen to hear passengers’ views and experiences of using either the long stay car park option or those who choose to pay the £1 charge. Consumers can get in touch with us via facebook (Consumer Council NI), twitter (@ConsumerCouncil), e-mail (complaints@consumercouncil.org.uk) or by calling us on 0800 121 6022.

drew2k9

is there a chance that if people all start using the long stay free ten minutes, that by the time you have parked up, got your bags out of the car, the driver starts up again and gets out of the space, goes to get out that it could take close to ten minutes? and if many people start doing this the queues to get out of the carpark could be big, resulting in people getting to the barriers having not paid and finding out they cant get out as they have been there over 10 minutes?

i know that was maybe hard to understand the way i tried to get it across, but its just an enquiry..