12 May 2023

MEDIA RELEASE

The next stage in a $2 million investment in car parking improvements commences next week with the construction of weather shelters within the airport’s pickup and dropoff zone within the General Car Park.

The shelters will provide seating, weather protection, and increased safety and security for customers being dropped off or waiting for their pickup by private vehicle.

Palmerston North Airport Chief Executive David Lanham says “We recognise that a lack of weather protection in our pickup and dropoff area is one of the most common pain points communicated by our customers, and so it is terrific to now be in a position to complete this next stage of carpark improvements after the disruptions of the past three years. The shelters have been manufactured and we plan to have them installed as quickly as we can over the next few weeks.”

Other planned enhancements expected to be introduced later in 2023 include License Plate Recognition (LPR), greater flexibility in payment options including ticketless entry and exit, and additional weather protection at selected locations within the General Car Park. Ticketless parking will allow General Car Park customers to use their credit card at the barrier arm as they enter and use the same credit card when they exit the carpark. This paired with the LPR technology will create a seamless experience when entering and exiting the General Car Park. 

As a result of the significant investment in car parking improvements, it has become necessary to increase the parking tariffs within the General and Long Stay carparks from 1 July 2023, the first movement in tariffs in six years. While the fifteen minute free grace period remains there are increases across the majority of time brackets. For example, the 24-hour tariff within the General Car Park increases to $20, while within Long Stay the Early Bird tariff for a five day stay increases to $70.

The new tariffs from 1 July 2023 are: