Wellington Airport parking scam

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allan

2043 posts

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#417681 15-Dec-2010 15:14

darkness:
In Auckland (who admittedly have a little more ground area to work with) they don't even police too strictly cars waiting for a few minutes for passengers to emerge from the terminal.

thats not true. I have to pick up my partner from the airport on regular occasions. And they won't even let me sit there for 5 mins waiting. Pretty much shoo me on straight away, even if theres heaps of room for other cars.

Probably depends on the time of day in Auckland. We have made a number of trips where my sister-in-law has picked us up around 7.30-8:30pm and has said she has been sitting there for 10-15 minutes without being asked to move on.

Back to Wellington, I have the luxury of a work car-park in downtown Wellington, so have used the Airport Flyer many times to go from Willis St to the airport and back. Great value at $8 one way (less with a Snapper card) and nice seats, comfortable surroundings.

Would be nice to have a train service direct to the airport, but I don't think Wellington has the population base to justify the expenditure.

I used to travel to Sydney for work a fair bit and always got a taxi from Sydney airport to North Sydney, but after one memorable occasion when my flight over took 3h 20m and my taxi ride 2h 30m, I started catching the train to North Sydney instead.

TinyTim

1042 posts

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#433808 1-Feb-2011 17:42

wallross:

Also, no where on the site does it mention the first 5 mins is free. So I decided to ring and ask, and the gentleman who answered the phone said the "5 free minutes" no longer applies. This was removed recently, and charging starts IMMEDIATELY (ie you will have to pay the minimum charge of $3 if you entered the controlled carparking area).

I did a pickup via the car park in the weekend. The folks I was picking up were already waiting there, so I went straight to the pay machine and it didn't ask for any money. Would have probably been 2 minutes in there. So there IS a grace period, but it isn't advertised.

Also it's now $3.50 for the first half hour.

Evolbob

58 posts

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#434042 2-Feb-2011 02:21

I'm with you 100% Ross.

I hope that something could be done, but I doubt it, as this is too good a money making enterprise, or a rip-off!

A proper large Parking building for long term, and the current nearby parking - free for short term pickup and drop off, would be a nice start.

As for Wellington allowing one to drop off but not pick up people could be a little difficult to enforce. I have had to pick up friends from Wellington many times, who are already standing there waiting for me. I stop the car, get out load the baggage into the boot, they get in, I'm away in under 90 seconds. Needless to say I haven't been told not to, even when arriving a little early and I'm waiting there. I usually get out and lean on the car and look a little staunch. Wearing dark glasses and dressed in black, I'm not bothered for some reason.

Logically the process of picking up a person is the reverse of dropping one off, and I don't see any time related differences to cause anyone to discriminate between them.

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