Parking tariffs for stays of seven days and longer at South Africa’s four largest airports have been slashed for the peak holiday season, from December 13 to January 13, 2020.

The reduced tariffs will apply at OR Tambo International Airport, Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport and Port Elizabeth International Airport.

Travellers using parking facilities at these four airports will pay R500 for a stay of seven days or more, while stays of longer than 15 days will be free. The parking offer does, however, exclude the use of the Piazza and Premium parking at OR Tambo International Airport and the pick-up facilities at any of the four airports.

Usually, depending on the parking area used, tariffs for stays of longer than seven days would be in excess of R1 000.

While bookings are not required for this period, the offer is subject to the availability of parking bays.

The normal process of taking a ticket at the parking entry booms will apply, and the airport systems have been programmed to calculate the special offer for those parking for longer than seven days, a statement issued by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) said on Friday.

Queries can be resolved at the parking office at each airport.

Commenting on the rationale behind the offer, ACSA corporate affairs group executive Refentse Shinners explained that, typically, business travellers were the heaviest users of airport parking during the year.

“We are able to make this offer because a greater number of bays is available during the peak holiday season and the need to manage availability of parking is reduced,” Shinners noted, adding that the parking offer is open to all.

He added that ACSA believes this special parking offer will be most attractive to people who travel longer distances to airports, and who are not served by public transport or who would generally prefer to be able to travel directly from home to the airport.

Additionally, Shinners noted that ACSA assessments in recent years have shown that airport parking becomes a key concern for families and people travelling groups.

“We have come to understand that it is often not a simple matter to arrange transport or get someone to drop you off if you are travelling with a family or departing on early or late flights…and [we] have taken the liberty to provide the passenger with this unbelievable option,” Shinners elaborated.

“We hope that this offer will help people manage their expenses and enjoy their holidays to the fullest,” he said.