Wellington Airport’s new online car park booking service is a first for New Zealand airports and allows the customer to access considerable savings by booking early.

Airport visitors can now seek the lowest rate available for car parking by pre-booking a space online. Customers are encouraged to go online as soon as their travel arrangements are finalised to access the best discounts.

“We have responded to customers inquiries as to how we can provide guaranteed priority access to car parks. Customers know when they are travelling and they want certainty at a good price.

“The new online booking system offers customers flexibility in choice and promotes our policy of best fare of the day,” said CEO, Steven Fitzgerald.

The new booking system is a clear 5-step process available through the airport web site www.wellingtonairport.co.nz. It realistically supports the traveller, whose plans may change, allowing booking changes and cancellations up to the day of travel and receive a full refund during the launch offer.

The process is fully integrated with existing car park equipment, simplifying car park entry and exiting. Customers will use the credit card at the boom gate, negating the need to carry a ticket or go to either the kiosk or payment machines separately.

Wellington Airport set out to source a proven product to ensure reliability for customers from day one, selecting UK-based Chauntry Car Parking Systems. Chauntry provides car parking solutions to various European airport including Infratil’s Glasgow Prestwick Airport and to the largest UK airports such as the BAA’s Airports.

The Chauntry car park booking module has tested integration capability with the world-leading Skidata system which WIAL implemented a few years ago to manage vehicle entry, exit and transaction process. The arrangement with Chauntry involves modest set-up costs with on-going transaction-based processing fees.

Customers are invited to trial the service through the launch offer which will last until March 2010, giving access to hundreds of car parking spaces each at 50% off the gate price when booking online. Post launch period customers will receive a minimum discount of 10% by booking online, and more special offers are being planned.

ENDS