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Before off airport car parks were set up, the owners of airports had a monopoly position on car parking prices. Indeed the only competition was from taxis, buses and rail and in simple terms this did not represent direct competition because you are not treating like with like.
Travelling by these other modes of transport is not like travelling in your own vehicle, all these alternatives require you to fit in with their schedule. Where you are travelling by bus or rail you will first probably require a lift to your local bus or rail centre, where once again you will have to rely on a friend or organise a taxi. Same goes for your journey back.
Once at your local bus or rail station you will then have to connect to a main station for onward transfer, until eventually you connect to a station with a direct link to the required airport. Both these modes of transport will stop many times to pick up and drop off passengers going about their daily business.
Going by bus or rail
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You are subject to following their time table that may include several connections and inevitably mean waiting around for your next connection or even worse being delayed at one stage of your journey and missing your next connection that could have a roll on affect.
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Buses and trains do not operate after midnight and if your flight back to the UK is delayed it will mean you will have to stay at the airport overnight, or call someone to pick you up or pay for a taxi home which will be very expensive.
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If your journey involves several connections you will have to man handle cases off and on buses or trains and then carry them through the stations milling with people and if travelling to one of the London airports more than likely have to take the tube. This is not a pleasant task and one made all the more difficult if you have young children to look after as well.
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Whilst the bus or train is probably cheaper than taking your car if travelling on your own once you are up to two people or more people travelling the cost saving all but disappears.
Taxi
This is simply down to distance and reliability. If you are travelling locally and you know the firm is reliable a taxi will often be the sensible option.
Going by car
If you have say over 45 minutes to travel, the cost of parking and fuel will be less than having to use a taxi who will have to cover the costs of two journeys there and back to the airport and make a profit to cover his labour and expenses.
Moreover, travelling by car is not only more convenient it marks the start of the holiday and you have the freedom to stop when you want and if you wish travel down the day before. Many people using a London airport will book a Gatwick hotel parking package and take in a show or chill out at a restaurant and travel to Gatwick the following day having dropped their car off at a secure parking facility.
If you are flying from Manchester you now have the choice of using one of the many off airport car parks which have been set up offering far cheaper Manchester airport parking than you would pay if you parked on the airport. Having said this, in response to the cheaper prices offered by the off airport car parks as long as you book beforehand, the prices at the airport are now not as horrendous as they used to be.
Conclusion
These cheaper prices have made travelling by car the first choice for most travellers, however, the government is reluctant to give planning for more parking especially off airport and is channelling funds into the bus and rail infrastructure under its green policy. What it fails to understand that travelling with luggage to an airport is hard work using these forms of transport and it would be better served by improving the road system.
