Crewmeal

I imagine one reason for sky-high parking charges (and for that matter food and drink costs in cafes and restaurants) at airports is the rake-off demanded by the airport operators from the concessionaires.

Problem for EMA is that since Ryanair think that airports provide services for nothing, the revenue has to come from somewhere else - and that's the hapless punter, and those collecting and delivering punters at the airport.

It needn't be like this, but airports that have attracted carriers like Ryanair, Wizz, Easy and the like have made their collective beds, and have to sleep in it.

The low fare carriers came in and they don't pay the airport as much in landing fees, etc. Those whinging about parking charges seem too stupid to realise that the airport has to make money and if it doesn't take as much money from the airlines flying in and out it'll have to make money from other activities. The punters want low fare airlines and the rediculous parking charges are the natural consequence.

That remark is totally unnecessary and perhaps you should empathise with the customer who has to pay for these ridiculious charges. Like anything else in life if someone feels they are being ripped off then they won't go there again.

I don't empathise with those customers at all... There's no such thing as a free lunch and the money to staff the airport, maintain the buildings and runways etc has to come from somewhere. The airport jumped into bed with the low fare carriers, travellers in the region unfortunately embraced those carriers, and high parking charges are one of the consequences. If people don't realise that, well... :rolleyes:

Eastmids

I think perhaps your suggestion that those who complain are "stupid" is a tad harsh, however the British, as I have oft commented in the past, "know the price of everything and the value of nothing", and as you say, there is "no such thing as a free lunch"

I doubt your average traveler understands how an airport works financially, and certainly won't realise that every cup of coffee, car parking space, bottle of pop from the duty free etc has a rake off taken by the airport. Many of them, when they go on their annual holiday probably didn't even know which airline they are travelling with until the tickets arrive!

They are captive audience, ripe for the taking! That (as a cockney) rep from Balkan Holidays once said to me many years ago on a holiday in Bulgaria is "free enterprise mate"!

Thank you East Mids for that comment.
Regarding the parking charges etc. that is why one of the reasons thousands of Brits like me decided to up sticks and leave the UK and only return when really necessary having got fed up of being ripped off continuously and just got fed up with the state of the country. I live in Spain - it has its problems oh yes it has and is not ideal but where is - but by jove it is a far better place to live than the UK I can assure you - not being ripped off, car tax at 40 Euros yearly, cheaper food, drink, fuel, better weather etc. lovely roads with hardly any traffic - need I go on. If you want to pay One Pound 50p administrationm charge on a Two Pounds 20p ticket carry on - but not for me pal.

The silliest thing I see with all these "Short Stay is a rip off" comments where people have looked at the prices on the internet is that they dont seem to have bothered to look properly on the website.

The old ShuttlePlus (now renamed JetParksPlus) gives 1 hour free parking with busses every 8 minutes.

And that IS written on the website.

compton3bravo
 

paid for by EU subsidies - and who is the 3rd largest contributor of the aforementioned payments - oh yes the good old UK

That is correct Greatoaks and I am enjoying every kilometre because I am still a UK taxpayer so I see where some of it has been spent.

Thomson 2014
 

For 2014 EMA over takes BHX for PMI flights EMA 8 flights BHX 6 flights, the number of flights to PMI from EMA must be a record for 2013.Car parking at airports, but most airports have good bus/coach services at very keen prices, and for the older client you may get a free trip to and from the airport.regardsStuart

Palma
 

stuart hammond

Unbelieavlbly BHX did have seven but the Monday Jetairfly has disappeared already :confused:

From BHX's point of view I would look at it as a positive as the number of destinations next summer is around 29 at EMA and 43 at BHX (net gain of one LEI & CAT gained but SID lost). It could be argued that Thomson have to rely on "safe" destinations at EMA whereas BHX has got a wide variety because Thomson feel certain that they can take the risk.

SKG appears to be the only destination now offered from EMA and not BHX.

Thomson will also offer more Alicante's from EMA on Thomson aircraft as one of the BHX flights changes to Monarch schedule similar to Malaga this summer.

If ALC and AGP migrate to Monarch and BHX gets RAK, LEI and CAT it can't be all bad.

Also of course EMA is now a 737 base, which I assume has lead to a capacity reduction, as there are no extra based units although one of BHX's four 757's has changed to a 738 this summer as well. There is a possibility that four of BHX's six Palma's in 2014 could be on the 757 whereas all the EMA flights will probably be on the 738.

Pete

Will EMA break 5m passengers this calendar year?

Hi all the past week or so there has been a city jet BAE146 operating Paris-ema-Paris is this a new route that's been operated or just charters? Thanks

EMA pax
 

Sunday8pmWould like to see end of 2013 EMA over take LPL and NCL with the end of 2015 over take BRS, just not sure which year we over take BHX/LTN, I will watch the sparks fly.regardsStuart

EastMids
Here's another thought. Just returned from USA, i suspect we can agree that its just as likely for Terry Taliban to have a pop at a US airport as it is at EMA.
The airports i visited are significantly larger than EMA

1/ Punters can drive up to arrivals and drop - no charge
2/ Punters can drive up to departures and drop - no charge
3/ Post 9/11 many airports introduced "Cell phone" waiting lots. Free, very close by, hi i'm at arrivals come and get me type stuff
4/ Short term parking - yes sir that's $1 an hour short term - 65p!.

Yes i have some sympathy that they have to make their hard earned £££, and i won't mention the sneaky camera car charging £75? for inadvertant parking for 30 secs in designated area's by Joe Public, all for elf and safety Gov, risk to pax and staff yeah yeah worked at the airport for i dunno 30 years i must have missed everything that happened :\ :\

Yes, with a 22.7% increase on 2012 figures. Unlikely though.

EMA Pax
 

EMA dipped below 4m pax at the end of March (3,985,023) which is 5.70% down on the previous year.

This is the lowest annual rolling 12 month figure since May 2003.

2013 will see an increase but there is a long way to go !!

Isn't this down to the data-lagging nature of 12-month rolling figures and the demise of bmiBaby at the end of last summer?

Come September the 12 month rolling figures may well be showing double digit increases for the same reason.

Thomson 2014
 

Extra flights/seats for summer 2014 EMA to PMI,MAH,TFS,AGP. which balance out at 2/3 extra flights from 2013, the total Thomson programme for 2014 is 2/3 extra flights for most airports in the u/k.regardsStuart

Frankie and Benny's "Coming Soon"

Will be airside where Three Shires used to be (judging by where they have put their posters up)