Car parking charges at Ronaldsway airport are going up – with the time you can park for free cut to just 15 minutes.

The airport has frequently been in the headlines recently and we talked to the Manx public in Strand Street about the issues they’ve had with parking.

Linda Gray, from Glen Vine, said: ‘I guess everything’s going up really isn’t it?

‘It just adds to the cost of getting off the island. It’s not exactly encouraging.

‘They do move you on from the front of the airport as well if you’ve come to pick someone up so it’s a bit disappointing really especially that they’re doing it by so much.’

The period of free parking at the airport has dropped from one hour to 15 minutes and 16 minutes to two hours of parking will now cost £3.

Ian Fayle, from Peel, said: ‘It’s a rip-off really. It already costs a fortune to go away for a weekend and it just adds to it.

‘You can’t even park at the front any more and wait if you’ve only got 15 minutes in the car park. That’s not long enough is it?’

Charlotte Gatt, from Douglas, said: ‘I don’t know many people who would use the car park for free anyway. They’d usually just keep driving round and using the drop-off point.

‘But what I can say is £120 for 90 days is fantastic, for example, if you’re going away most weekends or you’re going on holiday and you want to leave the car there for two weeks instead of on your driveway.

‘Also, I didn’t know you had to pay the toll on an app now, I though it was a barrier toll but just that it was broken.’

‘However, we do live on a small island and it’s easy to get a lift down but if you’re a businessperson and going back and forth. I do think it’s handy for that.’

Caroline Helks, from Laxey, said: ‘I think it’s terrible. They’re to encourage people to travel but putting more parking costs on them, I don’t agree with that at all.

‘For people going away for a long while especially, the charges will be more for them and that’s why they start parking at various people’s houses.

‘It’s just adding more to the cost of getting off the island. Given the times that we’re in, people who are looking forward to a holiday might not be able to afford to spend another £120 for 90 days of parking.

‘I think the government is trying to recoup the money from when it had the car park open for free.’

Peter Mylchreest, father of TT rider Matt Mylchreest, from Onchan, said: ‘I think it’s difficult enough to use the airport without making it dearer.

‘I went away one time and left the car in the car park for a week and I came back and thought it was £62.

‘Nine times out of 10 people will just get a lift down to the airport. Fifteen minutes is not long enough, if you’re waiting for somebody, the plane could be delayed and then you’re just being moved along by the staff. I think the government has done this because it’s greedy.’

Peter’s daughter, Kelly, said: ‘The charges will be a deterrent the car parking and people will maybe find other ways to park their cars.

‘I think a lot more people will avoid using the airport facilities and get dropped off at the airport.

‘The charges could be a backlash from the Covid pandemic, everything is going up after all.

‘As for the app payment system, older people may not have a smartphone, it’s just an inconvenience.’

People can use other means to pay for the car parking at the airport other than the app, they can call 825717 and use a pre-registered payment card or alternatively visit the information desk inside the Isle of Man Airport building, providing your vehicle registration and using a payment card, however cash payments are not accepted at the desk.

People can also pay via payment card via www.ringgo.co.uk