Customers drive parking changes at Christchurch Airport

Christchurch Airport is following its customers’ parking desires with new car parking choices from June 9.

The changes follow a year-long review which included extensive market research to gather customer feedback.

Chief Commercial Officer Blair Forgie says the review considered feedback from more than 1500 customers and included researchers riding in visitors’ cars to understand the decisions they made as they chose a parking space.

“Our customers told us clearly their parking priorities at the airport are choice, cost and convenience, assisted by much clearer signage,” says Mr Forgie.

“We have listened to them and are responding with a range of new car parking products, to give travellers the things they told us they want.”

Mr Forgie says changes will include new car parking choices, competitive pricing structures, new signage and colour coding to better define the different areas.

“We want it to be easy for people to find the best park for their visit,” he says.

“From June 9, we will introduce new car parking choices, including a new car park called the Econopark, for people travelling on a budget or wanting to park on the airport for longer periods of time.

“We are extending the free parking time to 15 minutes in the Express park (the car park building.) In that building, it will cost only $4 for a 40-minute stay, which will make parking cheaper for lots of people parking at the airport.

“We have created more mobility parks and new family parks, in direct response to feedback”.

Mr Forgie says people driving to the airport can consider how long they want to be there and which car park will best suit their needs.

“We have thought about people coming only to deliver or collect people to or from flights, as well as those who want to leave their car parked securely while they go away for a while,” he says. “People staying longer have several options and we are openly offering information in a brochure and on our website about all of them, whether they are operated by the airport or not. We want to help people understand all the car parking choices available and choose the best one for each visit.”

Mr Forgie says most commercial vehicles will soon stop mixing with other drivers in the drop-off area under the car park building. Commercial vehicles will use a separate designated park from July 1, so the drop-off area, being re-named The Loop, can be used as it was intended.

“The Loop is for people stopping only long enough to let someone out of their car or collect someone waiting on the footpath,” he says. “There can be no waiting or parking in that area, so people needing a few more minutes will be asked to move to the P15 free parking areas. This will be easier and safer for everyone and make that area like drop-off zones in international airports the world over.”

He says an information campaign over coming weeks will help people understand airport car parking choices. A team of staff known as Parking Pals will roam the car park areas until the end of July, answering questions and providing direction. The Parking Pals will be easily identified in bright pink high-viz vests and will help visitors understand the changes, new offers and how to work out which car park to choose. They will also hand out the parking choices brochure.

Mr Forgie says another enhancement is due in the next two months – the ability to pre-book and pay for airport car parking online.

Key points:

· New signage and colour coding for the different parking choice to assist visitors find the best one for their visit

· Free parking time expanded to 15 minutes in the Express park (the car parking building)

· Cheaper short stay parking - $4 for a 40 minute stay in the Express park

· The Loop for people to stop only long enough to let someone out of the car or collect a traveller waiting on the footpath

· More mobility parks, especially in Short Stay

· New family parks in Short Stay

· EconoPark, the new car park for people travelling on a budget or wanting a longer stay on the campus, with a free transfer bus making a half-hourly campus circuit

For more details www.christchurchairport.co.nz (from 5am May 28)

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