Passengers' Experience of Air Travel (HC 435-iii) Transport Committee 9 May 2007

Evidence given by Airport Operators' Association (AOA) - Mr Robert Siddall, Chief Executive, Ian Hutcheson, AOA Security Committee Chairman, and BAA Director of Security; Mr Terry Morgan, Divisional Director for South East Airports; Manchester Airports Group (MAG) Mr Geoff Muirhead CBE, Group Chief Executive: Transport for London - Dick Hallé, Director of Strategy, Surface Transport, Richard de Cani, Head of Development & Planning, Docklands Light Railway, Edward O'Loughlin, Network Planning Manager, London Rail, National Express Ltd - Mr Mike Lambden, Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr Ian McInnes, Strategy and Planning Director: Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), Mrs Ann Bates, Deputy Chair.

Q522 Mr. Eric Martlew: Just on the one about people dropping somebody off and going back home. Is that not because the airport parking charges are so high? Is that why they do not bring the car and leave it?

Mr Muirhead: Not necessarily, no, I do not think so.

Q523 Mr. Eric Martlew: Is it a factor?

Mr Muirhead: There is always a cost factor in everything that goes on, but parking charges at airports are very competitive - they are certainly at Manchester - and there are plenty of choices for people where they want to leave the car. Being dropped off by a friend may not appear to cost a lot, but it is taxi rides or other alternatives that increase journeys to and from airports.

This is an uncorrected transcript of evidence taken in public and reported to the House. The transcript has been placed on the internet on the authority of the Committee. Neither witnesses nor Members have had the opportunity to correct the record. The transcript is not yet an approved formal record of these proceedings.

On behalf of Eric Martlew, 3 Chatsworth Square Carlisle Cumbria CA1 1HB