Airport Parking News

www.Parctel.com: I suppose in some way you know your industry has hit the big time when it becomes embroiled with politics and politicians. Just like death and taxes, you cannot get rid of politicians.

Picked up the following story about airport parking and politics on the Artueel Blog:

Airport parking can be a real hassle. Finding a place to park where you don’t have to drag your luggage for a mile and that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg can be quite a challenge. Today, with the added security measures and the longer time it takes to pass through them, searching for a parking spot can take valuable time.

The whole scope of airport parking was changed forever on September 11, 2001. Now there are security issues to be considered as well as traffic and parking issues for any airport. But if you think that airport parking is just a pain for airline passengers, you’re wrong - it affects airport personnel, people living near airports and even politicians. Here’s an example of how airport parking and politics can interrelate.

In early 2001 James Hahn was running for Mayor of Los Angeles. He decided to make airport parking one of his campaign issues. He proposed an elaborate scheme for improving the parking at LAX. His plan would have called for major changes in the Westchester neighborhood around the airport.

James Hahn won that election. In August he initiated a campaign to put a new biomedical research facility adjacent to the USC medical facility. He also began work on his plan to improve airport parking. Neither of Hahn’s plans came to fruition. The block to the biomedical facility would take to long to explain in this short piece. The block to parking was very simple; it made its appearance on September 11, 2001.

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www.Parctel.com: AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Airport Fast Park has added 600 spaces to their off-site parking facility at Austin-Bergstrom International. The new spaces are to support their growing customer base and to help accommodate travelers during the upcoming travel season. Additionally, the spaces are uncovered, providing customers with the opportunity to choose covered or uncovered parking - the latter at a lesser price. The Cincinnati- based parking company is one of the country's largest off-site airport parking providers and offers a wide range of services to their customers.

"The Austin expansion is in direct response to customer's needs and our ongoing commitment to expanding our services to accommodate more travelers," said Melanie Chavez, Airport Fast Park spokesperson. "We hope the new spaces serve as an invitation for more area travelers to come experience our services and affordable prices."

Current Fast Park promotions include $7.00 per day for covered and $6.13 for uncovered, see Web site for applicable coupons. This price includes customer pick up at an assigned parking spot, luggage assistance and complimentary newspaper and bottled water. For travelers needing mechanical help, the company also provides jump starts, tire repair and help with lock- outs.

Additional advantages are offered to Fast Park Frequent Parker Program members. This service is designed to reward frequent travelers with free parking and assist in expediting entry and exit of their facility. Each member is guaranteed the lowest daily parking rate (without having to produce a coupon) as well as guaranteed a parking space, with valet services in the event a lot is full. Members accrue points for each paid day of parking; points post to accounts automatically and can be viewed on-line. These points are redeemed as follows: 8 points = 1 free day; 40 points = 1 free stay (7 consecutive days). Membership information is available on the company's Web site.

The company's facility is located at 2300 Spirit of Texas Drive, Del Valle. For more information travelers can visit the company's Web site at www.airportfastpark.com or call a local Airport Fast Park representative at (512) 385-8877.

Airport Fast Park, FastPark & Relax and Park Place are business units of Fast Park, headquartered in Cincinnati. The company operates off-site airport parking facilities in nine markets throughout the country. Airport Fast Park facilities are located in Albuquerque, NM, Austin, Tex., Baltimore, Cincinnati, Memphis, Tenn., Miami and Raleigh. In Cincinnati, the organization operates two facilities. In Cleveland, the company does business as both Airport Fast Park and Park Place, and in Houston facilities are branded as FastPark & Relax. The self-serve parking service is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week, with instant shuttle service transporting customers to their specific terminal.

Source: Airport Fast Park

www.Parctel.com: Parking fees at the East Texas Regional Airport will soon be a thing of the past, Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt said Wednesday.

The county is waiving the $3 per night parking fee at the airport beginning Oct. 1 when the 2008 fiscal year begins, he said. Parking fees raised about $60,000 this year, he said. Parking lot maintenance has cost $2,500 each of the past two years, but repaving is necessary every three years and costs about $100,000, he said.

No-charge parking will allow the county to apply for Federal Aviation Administration grants to pay for lot maintenance and repairs while providing a benefit to the airport customers, he said. There will be no other needed changes of modifications with the fee removal, and the only cost to the county will be to remove mechanical crossing guards at the parking lot's entrance and exit.

"It needs repaving right now," said Stoudt. "This is a win-win situation."

Source: Jimmy Isaac - News-Journal.com