Taking off Travel blog

You’re probably thinking, seriously, there’s no shocking truth about something as boring as parking.  Well, unless you had the experience of arriving at the Airport Economy Parking Lot and the LOT FULL sign is flashing through your windshield, you are late for your flight, and you just saw the airport shuttle whiz by, you don’t know how shocking airport parking can be!

Outside of living under a rock most of your life, you probably already realize that the holiday period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is the busiest time of year for airline travel.  All this leads us to the point that unless you take some preliminary precautions, someone is going to park their car in your spot, even though you yelled DIBS on it with your super powers.

Let’s say that you had researched the parking costs for your Thanksgiving flight back in August, when you made your plane reservations.  But, you arrived at the lot and instead of  the reasonable $5 per day rate, the “holiday rate” is now $10.00+ per day.  WHAT?  Arguing with the attendant won’t work, she’s just charging what the computer told her.  If you want your car out of Airport Parking hock, then you will need fork over whatever the Airport says.

Now, let’s get back to reality.  Airport parking doesn’t need to become difficult, nor do you need super powers to get a great parking space.  You can reserve your spot ahead of time for an off-airport parking lot and save not only some of your hard earned cash, but time and frustration as well.  You receive luggage assistance, a ride to and from the terminal, and peace of mind from having a parking space.

Check out the rates for your departure airport at ParkRideFlyUSA. We have the best parking lots listed for your airport.  Just a few clicks, and you will have a guaranteed parking space for your holiday trip.  Book early so you can lock in your rate and avoid any last minute blackouts.  With your paid receipt, you will have access to your reserved parking spot at the off airport parking lot you chose, guaranteed locked in rate, and peace of mind before you start your trip home to Mom’s house.

And, since Mom is making your favorite holiday dessert, wouldn’t you rather spend your extra money on a nice gift instead of airport parking?

Airport parking isn’t just an issue here in the US; it also causes hassle for travelers in the UK. A recent Daily Mail article featuring a UK airport parking provider offers useful info and tips for vacationers in the UK. If you’re planning a trip to England for the Olympics and plan to use off airport parking facilities, then listen up.

$80 a Day!

One of Europe’s busiest airports, Heathrow also takes the lead in the cost of parking at around $80 for a day of parking at Terminal 5. Luckily, off airport parking is much cheaper, at an average of $7 a day with some providers.

The best way to get discounts on airport parking in the UK is to book in advance. You might only save a little on the daily rate, but it soon adds up.

Many UK hotels near major airports also offer packages that include parking. For the price of an overnight stay you get a very reasonable parking deal and a shuttle to and from the airport.

Parking lots in the UK can be assessed for a safety and security award known as the Park Mark. If you’re leaving your rental car in a UK off airport parking lot, look out for this award.

Rent a Driveway

Some enterprising Brits have started to make a little extra money by renting out part of their driveway. There are even a couple of websites (such as parkatmyhouse.com) to manage the process for you. Interesting idea, though you miss out on the security of a managed parking facility.

Our Off Airport Parking Tips

A few things not mentioned in the Daily Mail article, but definitely on our list of ways to save on airport parking include:

• checking out coupons
• finding out about tie-ins with other organizations which might provide additional savings
• researching any perks available with your parking deal
• earning additional points from a reward scheme or your credit card provider.

How have you saved on airport parking abroad? We’d love to hear your experiences below.

Flying off for the summer? Check out our latest off airport parking coupon and save! (Image: eGuide Travel)

Once known as Moisant Field, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), was originally named after aviator John Moisant (the abbreviation stands for Moisant Stock Yards). While discussions about a new airport to replace Lakefront Airport started in the 1930s, it was not until after the war that construction began and commercial services began in 1946. At the time it was one of the nation’s biggest commercial airports, with a 7,000 foot runway and three runaways measuring 5,000 feet.

In 1960, the airport’s name was changed to New Orleans International Airport, a name it would retain until 2001 when the name was changed again in honor of Louis Armstrong’s 100th birthday. Read more »

Travel Strategy

The big news in travel in the past week was the announcement of initiatives to improve travel and tourism in the US. The industry accounted for 7.5 million jobs in 2010 and 2.7% of GDP.  Among the measures announced were the easing of restrictions for regular travelers who pass a background check, resulting in lower waiting times at airports, an increase in the number of countries from which visitors can enter without a visa and quicker processing for visitors from countries like China and Brazil. There will also be an interagency task force to develop a National Travel and Tourism Strategy. See the video below for more info:

Response from the industry has been largely positive, as a snapshot from Travel Market Report reveals. In particular, many felt that the industry was at last being respected as a major force in the US economy.

Sustainable Travel Finalists

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced the finalists in the 2012 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, which recognize sustainable travel initiatives industry wide.  There are four categories: destination stewardship, global tourism business, conservation and community benefit. The finalists are

Destination Stewardship

• Destination Røros, Norway

• Misool Eco Resort, Indonesia

• Tanabe City, Japan

Global Tourism Business

• Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Singapore

• REI Adventures, USA
• Wilderness, South Africa

Conservation

• Cheli & Peacock, Kenya

• Inkaterra Peru, Peru

• NamibRand Safaris: Wolwedans Collection, Namibia

Community Benefit

• Saunders Hotel Group, USA

• Soria Moria Boutique Hotel, Cambodia

• The Thailand Community Tourism Based Institute, Thailand

The next stage of the 3-stage judging process includes on-site visits to the finalists. The winners will be recognized at WTTC’s global summit in Tokyo, Japan, to be held from 16-19 April.

No More Hidden Travel Fees

In other news, new protections for air passengers are about to come into force. These mean that when you book and pay for a ticket, that’s the price you should pay. Airlines will have to include fees and taxes in the price they are advertising (only the mandatory ones), and to disclose the costs of the optional extras. Once a flight is purchased, the price stays the same. (Full story on NewsNet5.)

Want discount airport parking ? Find out about our airport parking coupon here.

Top of the morning to you and here’s our weekly (ish) roundup of airport and airport parking news.

Off Airport Parking Research

First up, the results of some new research into airport parking, published on the UK’s Travel Daily UK blog. UK firm Looking4Parking has published research showing that 66% of those using airport parking firms save an hour on their journey. And a third of the 1,000 people polled also thought that a meet and greet service saved up to 2 hours.  Convenience and cost were among the factors that led people to book with off airport parking firms. Find out more about the airport parking research here.

Looking Ahead to Terminal 4 – JFK Airport

In the New York Times last week, there was a sneak peek at changes happening at JFK’s new terminal 4, due for completion next year. According to the article by Christine Haughney, the structure is beginning to take place. The new terminal will automate baggage screening and speed up security. When completed passenger transfers between domestic and international flights are also expected to work more smoothly. Read more on the JFK expansion here.

Airline Administration Fees

It’s not just here in the US that we have a problem with ever increasing air travel fees. Saturday’s post on the Travel Rants blog saw Darren Cronian talking about administration fees on EasyJet, one of the UK’s low cost airlines. The cause of contention is a new GBP9 (approximately $13.50 at today’s exchange rates) applied to all debit card payments. This fee is more than 9 times the maximum fee charged by banks for debit card transactions. With new European legislation coming in to improve transparency for travelers, Cronian asks:

why is it that every time the government or European Union announces a new legislation, the airlines find somewhere around it, which ultimately costs the consumer money?

Why, indeed?

Radiation Tests for TSA Employees

We’ve been wondering about the effects of airport scanners for quite a while and the Transport Security Administration (TSA) has generally played down health concerns. However, according to an article in the LA Times, the TSA is planning to test its employees and check their radiation exposure. No tests yet for the scanners themselves or the passengers though.

Save on Airport Parking

Finally, to end today’s roundup, a piece of company news – our latest airport parking discount coupon. If you’re thinking of making airport parking reservations at (MDW) Chicago Midway Airport, (IND) Indianapolis Airport, (ALB) Albany Airport, (ORD) Chicago O’Hare Airport, (JFK) John F. Kennedy Airport or any of our more than 150 airport parking locations nationwide, you won’t want to miss this offer. Just book 2 days or more by January 31, 2012 using the promo code Happy12 and SAVE 10%*.  This offer is valid for travel for the entire year.