A DRIVER was left fuming after being hit with a $105 parking bill at a major US airport after rates skyrocketed.
Steve Conney, a medical device salesman, frequently travels for work and regularly uses airport car parks.
Denver International Airport’s parking policy charges a full day rate for exceeding 24 hours, even by minutes[/caption]
One man says he now prefers taking buses to the airport to avoid hefty parking fees[/caption]
DIA defends its flat-rate structure, citing simplicity and market conditions[/caption]
Parking revenue remains a major financial stream for the airport, totalling $229 million last year[/caption]
But according to CBS News, he’s been put off parking at Denver International Airport after he was charged $105 due to a policy that tacks on a full daily rate for exceeding 24 hours, even by just two minutes.
That’s a full $35 daily rate for just a few extra minutes, which understandably left him perplexed.
Conney said: “I would say it’s ridiculous.
“I just couldn’t believe they were charging me a full day for two minutes. It was almost like getting a parking ticket”.
DIA’s policy, though, states that any time beyond 24 hours is charged as a full additional day, with no hourly rates – in contrast to many other airports in the US which revert to hourly rates after the first 24 hours.
Indeed, these more lenient policies can be found at airports in Dallas, Miami, Phoenix and Seattle, among others.
However, other airports, such as those in Detroit and Oklahoma City, follow a similar flat-rate structure to DIA.
While it’s his employer who pays for his airport parking, Conney added: “I just think it’s the principle. I don’t think it’s a fair policy.”
Mark Nagel, Senior Vice President of Parking and Commercial Transportation at DIA, defended the policy.
He said, “I put ourselves right in the middle of all the different airports and how they structure their payments.”
He added that the one reason they don’t revert to an hourly rate after 24 hours is that “we want to keep our rate structure simple.”
He also said the airport’s parking rate structure is “not just a scheme to raise revenue.”
“We’re adjusting to the market conditions, ” he added.
“We’re not trying to be the highest parking rates in town; we’re also trying not to be the lowest parking rates in town.”
Annual financial reports from DIA shows that parking revenue is the largest non-aeronautical revenue stream at the airport – bringing in around $229 million last year.
That total exceeds what the airport made from concessions, car rental fees or hotel revenue.
Nagel said: “It’s not cheap to run the parking operation.”
He added that the airport has no plans to change its paid parking rate structure – but that passengers can appeal their charges if they feel it’s unfair.
Conney said that he did exactly that, appealing not to be charged the $35 for two minutes of parking.
In an email response, an airport parking manager said: “We are unable to honor your request for a fee adjustment as the fees are determined based on the actual location and duration of your vehicle’s stay.”
Conney now says he takes buses to the airport more than he used to, to avoid the parking costs.
The global race for flying taxis
THE global race for flying taxis, or urban air mobility (UAM), is highly competitive, with numerous companies developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and related technologies.
The competition is driving rapid advancements in the field, and many players aim to launch commercial operations within the next few years.
As well as Wisk Aero, here are some of the prominent players in this space:
JOBY AVIATION – Santa Cruz, California, USA: Joby Aviation is one of the leading companies in the eVTOL space. It has received significant investment from Toyota and has partnered with Uber. Joby aims to launch an aerial ridesharing service.
VOLOCOPTER – Bruchsal, Germany: Volocopter develops electric helicopters designed for urban air mobility. The Volocopter 2X and VoloCity are their flagship models. The company has conducted test flights in various cities, including Singapore and Dubai.
LILIUM – Munich, Germany: Lilium is developing the Lilium Jet, a five-seat eVTOL aircraft. The company aims to create a regional air mobility network. Lilium has raised substantial funding and has conducted several successful test flights.
ARCHER AVIATION – Palo Alto, California, USA: Archer is focused on developing a fully electric air taxi. The company has a partnership with United Airlines and plans to launch commercial operations by 2024.
EHANG – Guangzhou, China: EHang develops autonomous aerial vehicles (AAVs) for passenger and logistics transportation. The EHang 216 is a notable model that has been tested in various cities worldwide.
EMBRAERX (EVE AIR MOBILITY) – São José dos Campos, Brazil: Eve Air Mobility, a subsidiary of Embraer, is developing eVTOL aircraft and urban air traffic management solutions. The company aims to leverage Embraer’s aerospace expertise to advance UAM.
HYUNDAI URBAN AIR MOBILITY (SUPERNAL) – South Korea / USA: Hyundai is actively developing eVTOL aircraft through its Supernal division. The company envisions integrating air taxis into urban transportation networks.
BELL TEXTRON – Fort Worth, Texas, USA: Bell is developing the Nexus 4EX, an eVTOL aircraft designed for urban air mobility. Bell has a long history in helicopter manufacturing and aims to apply its expertise to the UAM sector.
