Sky-high airport fees a rip-off

[ethernet]

Finally the Telegraph is doing a RNS on $ydney Airport

SYDNEY airport has become an overpriced disgrace, hitting travellers and visitors with exorbitant prices that are embarrassing the shopkeepers forced to charge them.
A The Daily Telegraph investigation found the privatised airport charges double for a cup of coffee what a cafe in the CBD charges and is ripping off thousands of international visitors and locals daily.

ref: Sky-high airport fees a rip-off | The Daily Telegraph and
Overpriced airport plane robbery | The Daily Telegraph
FOR their convenience, visitors arriving in our city via Sydney airport are given a quick course on the sort of hospitality they can expect even before they leave the departure area.
And there's a hyphenated colloquialism to sum up that expectation - a rip-off.

Comment: For those that do not abuse the lounges ie the humble commoner - they are surely scalped, including the marked up airport per head processing fees that is over and above CPI. It is surely sad NSW state revenue is missing out on the action.

 

[wallacej]

I saw the today show this morning on ch. 9 and they were discussing the expense involved in all things airport.. They were focussed on Sydney, and of course being the travelling reporters most of them are they became quite engrossed in the conversation and really ratting on prices charged throughout the airport. They drew comparisons to Hungry jacks and how their prices were the same as regular locations, so could not understand why everything else in the airport was so expensive.

 

[kpc]

I play the "don't give Macquarie Bank another cent" game.

1. have luggage with wheels; don't have to use their trolley.
2. don't buy any food / drink (and duty free unless significantly cheaper)...having lounge access helps!!
3. don't park at the car park under any circumstances...communicate with arriving guests by mobile phone! Picking up arr guests from T1 is a special skill, however!!
4. If taking the train, get off at Mascot for T2, T3 or Wolli Ck for T1 and walk the rest of the way. Only works if you don't have much luggage and not raining or LAZY like me!
5. Try and use bus 400 to/from airport if poss.
6. If you can't do the above, buy some of their shares, so you can get some of your money back!!

 

[ethernet]

Basically because the shopkeepers are paying higher rents than Broadway, prime CBD, and likely more than HALF their turnover. As the shopkeepers are not talking - one assumes something unsavory.

Sure, the fast food joints are a bit harder to push around , and their absence would say plenty. Economics 101 says if you can put your pices up sky-high, then competition is lacking. If an abuse of market power , then maybe something can be done. Howard scrapped some TPA provisions, including price discrimination. Rudd can always bring it back, to protect idiots from signing harsh one-sided contracts.

Dont forget road TOLLWAY prices increase. The PR firms put an ad that says 'in line with CPI' but the failed city tunnel revealed State govt took a payment for allowing increases over an above CPI, because they are stupid and dont understand ratcheting, or the magic of compound rent increases.

 

[futaris]

If taking the train, get off at Green Sq for T2, T3 or Wolli Ck for T1 and walk the rest of the way. Only works if you don't have much luggage and not raining or LAZY like me!

That's quite a hike, about 1-2kms for Wolli Ck to T1 and around 3.5km for Green Sq to T2/T3. Couldn't you just walk to Mascot Station?

 

[kpc]

oops, I mean't Mascot, not Green Sq I can't edit my post above to reflect this! Maybe a Moderator could kindly do this...

 

[Hvr]

2. don't buy any food / drink (and duty free unless significantly cheaper)...having lounge access helps!!

When determining the value of QC I looked at the amount of trips I was going to do and with an estimated cost of $10 food drink per airport visit, the cost of lounge access quickly became very cost effective (corporate rate for calculations).

The ancillary benefits of priority luggage, better seat etc just sweeten the pie. Now I'm at SG level the cost benefit analysis of membership is looking even better.

 

[bambbbam2]

A Mars Bar at the airside cafe at Perth Airport was 3.90 last time I was there.. I think that is a bit steep really..

 

[wallacej]

A Mars Bar at the airside cafe at Perth Airport was 3.90 last time I was there.. I think that is a bit steep really..

There has been the Big Mac comparison done world wide, but I think we should run our own Mar Bar analysis...domestically..

If you happen to be in an airport :shock: and see a Mars Bar... take note of the price... $3.90, was it a jumbo Mars bar? We might have to put the size in as well, because size really does matter!!

 

[straitman]

We might have to put the size in as well, because size really does matter!!

wallacej,

Now I know who's been sending me all those dodgie/spam emails

 

[wallacej]

wallacej,

Now I know who's been sending me all those dodgie/spam emails

You see enough of those emails and you have to start to question it

 

[oz_mark]

A Mars Bar at the airside cafe at Perth Airport was 3.90 last time I was there.. I think that is a bit steep really..

I imagine if they sold them at the candy bar at the movies they would be around $9.00

 

[clifford]

That's quite a hike, about 1-2kms for Wolli Ck to T1 and around 3.5km for Green Sq to T2/T3. Couldn't you just walk to Mascot Station?

Whoa, I must be a fast walker. I do Wolli Ck - T1 in about 20 mins.

Good exercise too!

And it's sticking it up Westpac, the current owners of the Airport line.

Makes me feel good!

 

[LovemyCC]

Hi everyone I'm a new poster. I wanted to put this question on a different thread but since I'm new I think I can't post new threads.

Does anybody know how they calculate taxes on top of your plane ticket? I'm no accountant, but its easier to calculate income tax than airport tax. I assume different airports have different taxes and methods. But do they print/disclose it on a brochure or website somewhere? Are we meant to just take on the chin?

 

[serfty]

Hi LovemyCC, welcome to AFF.

You should be able to post this in a new thread - the Your Questions forum would be appropriate.

Look for the

icon at the top left of the Forum index.

 

[JohnK]

I play the "don't give Macquarie Bank another cent" game.

I would love to be able to this as well but infortunately cannot avoid it sometimes.

• Taking my parents to the airport and then picking them up I will use the parking facilities so it all depends on departure and arrival times not varying too much
• I will buy a beer in the domestic terminal before 1:00pm but I don't buy food in any airport
• I don't remember the last I paid for a trolley in any airport in the world
• Taxi fare to get home from the airport includes the airport surcharge
• Using the bus or train sounds like a good alternative but both are over 10 minutes walking distance from my place and then to walk to airport as well is not worth it, so I pay money for taxi

 

[AllanG]

Expensive food is really bad but what is worse is horrible, scalding hot absolutely undrinkable expensive coffee, which is what I experienced yesterday at Adelaide airport in the cafe near gate 21.:evil:

 

[alien]

may be there should be a price cap on food and bev in airports?? Is this someting Fair Trading or ACCC should be looking at? What about a nation wide boycott on buying airport food and bev?

Whoever owns the property relly needs to drop the lease payments which might just allow the food and bev industry in the airports some leeway in their pricing???????

 

[serfty]

Then the airport shop owners would demand a rent cap!