forums → Travel

Airport short-term parking

Magnate on 01/05/2012 - 22:13

I dropped my wife off at Melbourne airport this morning. Denying my inner tightarseness I parked for 40 mins, a charge of $6. This got me thinking.

If I park then pay the minimum fee immediately, how long do they give you to exit the carpark. I could have hypothetically had a flat tyre, or car wouldn't start, or any other myrid of issues which delayed me exiting the carpark. And I assume that they don't want people stuck at the exit gate with an invalid ticket.

Is anyone aware of a time limit? Is there even a time limit? Can I pay, and then exit hours later?

Comments

  • +2 votes
    greenpossum on 01/05/2012 - 22:19

    It's not unlimited. From reading notices in places with payment machines it's usually something like 10-15 minutes grace from paying at the machine to the exit gate. If you exceed the grace time, a big cage will drop down on your car and you won't be let out until you surrender your credit card. No just kidding, the boom will refuse to lift until you insert a credit card to pay the excess, or convince someone over the intercom to be lenient.

  • +1 vote
    issh on 01/05/2012 - 23:28

    I could have hypothetically had a flat tyre, or car wouldn't start, or any other myrid of issues which delayed me exiting the carpark

    In this case, I 'presume' that they will notice and hopefully the excess charge will be waived

    But yeah, usually the grace period is 15 minutes

  •  
    NancyCat on 02/05/2012 - 10:24

    Magnate, you are not a tightarse. You spent $6 to park for 40mins. You are very lovely to actually took your wife into the airport. A tightarse husband (like mine) would just drop the wife off at the kerb!

    • +2 votes
      Kiz on 02/05/2012 - 10:31

      ….or make you catch the airport bus!

    •  
      Magnate on 02/05/2012 - 20:48

      Haha, I did consider putting her on the airport bus to save 3 hrs of leave!

  • +1 vote
    Peccadilloes on 02/05/2012 - 13:15

    in sydney they have 15 min free parking
    I dropped my friend, parked, went in to see she was alright came back and paid $7 for 20min. price gouging with the liberal head kicker's company creation mad max wilton? we need successful businesses to rip off citizens and then liberal leaders to crow about how good they are for the economy.

  •  
    micm1991 on 02/05/2012 - 18:18

    Long term is $10 for up to 3hrs. No cheaper in your scenario but a possibility for others. Their grace period would be longer too because of allowing for the shuttle bus etc. Not sure now long though.

    •  
      greenpossum on 02/05/2012 - 19:11

      Their grace period would be longer too because of allowing for the shuttle bus etc

      I wouldn't be too sure of that. It's probably also enough to cover the distance from the machine to the exit.

      •  
        micm1991 on 06/05/2012 - 17:09

        I paid my ticket at the pick up point at the arrivals terminal, then waited for the bus, caught it all the way back to "B", walked to my car and drove to the exit no problems. Wonder just how long it is… an hour?

  •  
    trishwhite on 02/05/2012 - 23:37

    At Melbourne airport you can park in the long term carpark for 20 mins free.Helpful if you are picking someone up, we used to park down the road and wait for the phone call saying our arivals had arrived. They have clamped down on side of the road parking.Hence the 20 mins free parking

  • Login or Register to Join The Conversation