2011 it is suggested that Armidale Dumaresq Council might implement pay-parking controlled by boom-gates at out airport, at $14.00 a day, supposedly “comparable to other regional airports”. Surely they are joking!
As a local and a frequent user of Armidale airport and various other regional NSW airports, I am unaware of any other regional airport with comparable numbers of daily passenger movements which has pay-parking and boom-gates.
As many other air travellers will know, it is not unusual to experience difficulty finding a vacant carpark space around flight arrival and departure times. The airport presently has about 150 marked parking spaces for use by the public, staff, and rental car operators.
Based on the present level of airline operations, to cater adequately for the current passenger movements at the airpor,t there is a need to provide at least another 40 formal spaces. The exiting western carpark has ample room to be extended further west, where the paved entry and exit points for such an extension are already constructed.
If Armidale Dumaresq Council is serious about encouraging regional growth, restricting and charging for airport parking is exactly the wrong approach !
Alan Joy,
Armidale
