Your parking ticket could cost more than your flight.
If you plan on taking a trip that requires air travel, you might want to prepare yourself on the new and amended airport access, parking arrangements and health protocols as set out by ACSA at OR Tambo International Airport.
Return tickets from Johannesburg to Durban could cost anything from R1 000 – R5 000 depending on the airline, peak times and flight availability, but when you go fetch your vehicle you could be in for a massive shock.
The cost of your parking ticket when exiting the airport parking bay might exceed your airplane ticket.
It has been noted that many motorists who have used the long-term parking have complained of excessive parking ticket bills that amount to thousands of rands for short periods of time.
According to Corporate Affairs at OR Tambo International Airport, Samukelo Khambule, the parking arrangements were communicated in multiple news releases and broadcasts up until commencement of alert level 2 operations at the airport. Khambule said,
“We informed the public through these channels about important changes to airport access and parking arrangements as well as the health protocols being applied.”
“We advised that the upper and lower roads remain closed. The pick-up and drop-off parking area that was previously used also remains closed. We appealed then and appeal again now, to passengers to note the new vehicle access and parking arrangements and to plan accordingly.”
OR Tambo says that Parkade 2 South level 2 is to pick up passengers only, while Level 3 is the new drop-off area and passenger parking, and Level 4 is for general parking.
“Different tariffs apply on these levels. As with the previous drop-off area, there is a grace period of 20 minutes’ free parking on level 2. After that, the higher tariffs that apply reflect the need to keep vehicles moving through level 2 as the designated drop-off zone.”
The amended parking tariffs are as follows:
Level 2 parking (Only to be used as a pick-up point for passengers)
- 0 – 20 minutes are free
- 21 – 40 minutes: R30
- 41 – 60 minutes: R60
- Thereafter, the rate is R60 per hour.
Level 3 parking (for the drop-off of passengers and passenger parking)
- 0 – 1 hours: R25
- 1 – 2 hours: R44
- 2 – 3 hours: R48
- 3 – 4 hours: R68
- 4 – 12 hours: R175
- 12 – 24 hours: R190
- Thereafter, for every 12 hours or part thereof the rate is R95.
“Any passenger who left their vehicle on level 3 or level 4 and was charged more than the published rates may contact the airport’s parking office at Customercare@airports.co.za.”
Passengers and drivers must note that tariffs are lower on levels 3 and 4.
If passengers believe they have been excessively charged, they must provide proof of their parking receipt that will show the time period and parkade level that they used for their vehicle.
Khambule said, “As the airport parkade is equipped with licence plate recognition technology, this may be used to verify the level on which the passenger’s vehicle was parked.”