Investigation into high Aussie airport parking charges

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is to monitor airport parking charges at airports across Australia.

The federal government requested the investigation after it emerged that some Australian airport parking charges were high by international standards, higher in some cases than Heathrow - it's more expensive to park at Melbourne Airport than to use Heathrow airport parking.

In a statement to the press, Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said: "genuine public concerns about airports using their monopoly position to exert significant market power and charge higher prices for the various periods of stay – particularly short-term stays to drop off and pick up passengers."

The revenue generated by Airport parking charges in Australia was the equivalent of US$192 million in 2007.