Manchester Airport boss defends parking charges after £453m income as customer calls comparison 'unreasonable'
Chris Woodroofe compared the £150 two-week fee to daily town centre parking, but one customer said "nobody would realistically be parking their car in a city centre continuously for two weeks."
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The boss of Manchester Airport has defended car parking charges of more than £150 for two weeks, arguing they are "competitive."
Chris Woodroofe was responding to a customer who asked how the airport can justify the cost. The managing director told BBC North West Tonight: "If you go into the town centre and look to park for a day in the town centre and do that comparison with the £150 for two weeks, it's exactly the same sort of charge."
However, he then acknowledged the comparison "isn't really like-for-like."
Customer Ray McGee was less forgiving: "Nobody would realistically be parking their car in a city centre continuously for two weeks, so I don't think that comparison demonstrates the airport charge is reasonable or competitive."
How much does MAG make from parking?
Manchester Airports Group, which also runs London Stansted and East Midlands, recently reported £453 million in parking income, about a third of its total revenue.
Woodroofe said the money is reinvested into operations and infrastructure, including plans for a new multi-storey car park to meet "really high demand."
Asked whether more capacity might bring prices down, he said: "We're always going to operate in a world where we are pricing our car parking in a competitive marketplace."
He added that the airport's £5.50 drop-off charge for five minutes was "the lowest charge of any of the big airports across the UK."
The airport said it competes with Uber, taxis and off-site parking operators.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does it cost to park at Manchester Airport?
- Prices vary based on duration and how far in advance you book, but a typical two-week stay can cost around £150.
- What is the drop-off charge at Manchester Airport?
- The current drop-off fee at Manchester Airport is £5.50 for a maximum of five minutes.
- Where does the airport's parking revenue go?
- According to the airport's managing director, parking income is used to fund daily operations and future investments, including a planned new multi-storey car park.