Parking rates at Penticton Regional Airport are scheduled to increase by 400% to 500% starting November 1, after Transport Canada said existing fees no longer reflect market rates.
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Parking at Penticton Regional Airport is set to become significantly more expensive, with rates increasing by between 400% and 500% starting November 1.
Transport Canada, which owns and operates the airport, said the changes are necessary because existing parking fees no longer reflect market rates. In a federal regulatory notice published in the Canada Gazette, the department said the rules governing parking fees were last updated in 2012 and that operating costs at its five federally owned airports are growing while the airports are running at a deficit.
Penticton is one of five airports affected by the federal initiative. The others are Port Hardy and Sandspit in B.C., Sept-Îles in Quebec, and Wabush in Labrador. While Penticton’s new rates have been announced, it is not yet clear how much parking fees will change at the other four airports.
Some travellers said Penticton’s parking rates may have been low compared with larger airports. One traveller described using the airport lot for long-term parking without flying, taking advantage of rates that were cheaper than some paid parking lots around town.
However, an airport employee said the size of the increase goes too far. “I think they have made a big mistake,” they said. “I don’t mind them putting it up a little because it was pretty cheap, but they put it up to its equal to Kelowna.”
The change is also happening in a context where many residents are dealing with rising everyday costs, including groceries and fuel. “We don’t go out for meals as much as we used to,” said Donna, who said her household has already had to cut back to keep up with the cost of living.
For many flyers, practical considerations may further affect the impact of the new rates. Most of the parking at the Penticton airport is unpaved and does not have infrastructure such as lighting, and a paved section outside the airport is available only until it fills up, at which point drivers are directed to the unpaved area.
With airport parking rates scheduled to jump by hundreds of per cent, travellers will have to weigh whether leaving their cars at the airport is still worth the added cost.
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