Airports charge more for cars than planes

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LONDON, June 29 (UPI) -- A British study found it is cheaper to park a light aircraft at several airports than it is to park a car at the facilities for the same amount of time.

The Daily Telegraph reported Manchester Airport charges about $54.89 for a full 24 hours of parking in the short-stay car lot, while parking a six-seat aircraft for the same amount of time costs only $32.94.

Parking a car for 24 hours at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport costs $62.73 compared with $16.81 for a light aircraft, the Telegraph said.

Scotland's Edinburgh Airport charges $36.86 for 24 hours of car parking and $18.67 to park a light plane for the same amount of time.

The newspaper said London's Luton Airport was the only place where plane parking, $60.99, was more expensive than car parking, $56.46.

"Years ago airports made all their money from the planes," said Russell Craig of Manchester Airport. "Now at Manchester, aviation income makes up less than half of our revenues. To be able to keep investing, you've got to find new revenue streams and some of that is car parking. But pre-booking is the way to save money. The turn-up prices are what they are."