Skip to content
NOWCAST NewsCenter 5 at 7
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Economy parking at Boston's Logan Airport not an option amid COVID-19 pandemic

Economy parking at Boston's Logan Airport not an option amid COVID-19 pandemic
BEN: IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN TO LOGAN AIRPORT RECENTLY, YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF A CHANGE IN PARKING THERE. IT CAUGHT -- IT COST ONE VIEWER A LOT OF MONEY, MORE THAN A AFTER GETTING NO RESPONSE FROM HUNDRED DOLLARS. MASSPORT, SHE CAME TO US FOR HELP. WITH FEWER PEOPLE FLYING MASSPORT CLOSED THE ECONOMY PARKING GARAGE AT LOGAN. WHICH MEANS EVERYONE PARKING AT THE AIRPORT HAS TO PARK AT CENTRAL PARKING OR IN ONE OF THE OTHER LOTS RIGHT NEAR THE TERMINALS. THE PROBLEM THOSE PARKING LOTS , COST 38 DOLLARS A DAY COMPARED TO ECONOMY PARKING WHICH IS $29 A DAY, A DIFFERENCE OF 9 BUCKS. THAT QUICKLY ADDED UP FOR ONE VIEWER, WHO SAID SHE HAD TO TRAVEL FOR 12 DAYS AND SO WAS FORCED TO PAY $108 MORE. SHE WONDERED WHY MASSPORT DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST THE RATE DOWN TO A LONG-TERM RATE AFTER A SET NUMBER OF DAYS. >> I WAS JUST LIKE BLOWN AWAY -- THAT, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THERE ISN’T SOME KIND OF ACCOMMODATION, RATE ADJUSTMENT OF PEOPLE LONG-TERM PARKING. FOR ME, IT’S DEFINITELY THE PRINCPLE OF IT AND I FELT THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE THE ONLY ONE IN THIS POSITION WE REACHED OUT TO MASSPORT FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THIS AND ALSO TO FIND OUT WHEN THE ECONOMY PARKING GARAGE MIGHT REOPEN. THEY TELL US THEY CLOSED THE ECONOMY GARAGE TO SAVE MONEY, SINCE AIR TRAVEL IS DOWN 80% A FEW PEOPLE WERE PARKING THERE ANYWAY. THIS ALSO ELIMINATED THE NEED TO RUN SHUTTLE BUSES TO THE ECONOMY GARAGE. MASSPORT SAYS THE GARAGE WILL STAY CLOSED UNTIL PASSENGER VOLUMES INCREASE. A MASSPORT SPOKESPERSON DID NOT HAVE A RESPONSE TO OUR QUESTION ABOUT THIS MOVE INCREASING THE COST FOR TRAVELERS, EXCEPT TO SAY YOU DON’T HAVE TO PARK AT
Advertisement
Economy parking at Boston's Logan Airport not an option amid COVID-19 pandemic
As air travelers slowly begin to return to using Boston's Logan Airport, they are beginning to discover things truly aren't like they used to be.One of the bigger changes made at the airport affects where passengers will park and how much parking will cost. With fewer people flying, Massport closed the economy parking garage at the airport, forcing anyone who needs to park to use the Central Parking Garage or one of the other lots right near the airport terminals.The problem, as one passenger discovered, is those parking lots cost $38 a day, compared to the economy parking lot which costs $29 dollars a day, a difference of $9.The costs quickly added up for one viewer, who said she had to travel for 12 days and so was forced to pay an additional $108 more than what she had budgeted for. The viewer wondered why Massport doesn't automatically adjust the rate down to a long-term rate after a set number of days. "I was, just like, blown away that -- are you kidding me -- there isn't some kind of accommodation, rate adjustment of people long-term parking."A spokesperson for Massport said the economy parking garage was closed at the height of the pandemic to save money, and cut down on the need for shuttle buses. Air travel from Logan Airport at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic dropped over 90% vs. the previous year and has struggled to rebound to levels even remotely close to 2019 levels. Massport says the garage will stay closed until passenger volumes increase.A Massport spokesperson did not have a response to our question about the move increasing the cost for travelers, except to say you don't have to park at the airport.If you're planning to park long-term at Logan Airport, be prepared to pay, or seek out parking alternatives.

As air travelers slowly begin to return to using Boston's Logan Airport, they are beginning to discover things truly aren't like they used to be.

One of the bigger changes made at the airport affects where passengers will park and how much parking will cost.

Advertisement

With fewer people flying, Massport closed the economy parking garage at the airport, forcing anyone who needs to park to use the Central Parking Garage or one of the other lots right near the airport terminals.

The problem, as one passenger discovered, is those parking lots cost $38 a day, compared to the economy parking lot which costs $29 dollars a day, a difference of $9.

The costs quickly added up for one viewer, who said she had to travel for 12 days and so was forced to pay an additional $108 more than what she had budgeted for.

The viewer wondered why Massport doesn't automatically adjust the rate down to a long-term rate after a set number of days. "I was, just like, blown away that -- are you kidding me -- there isn't some kind of accommodation, rate adjustment of people long-term parking."

A photo showing the empty interior of the Central Parking Garage at Logan Airport in Boston.
WCVB

A spokesperson for Massport said the economy parking garage was closed at the height of the pandemic to save money, and cut down on the need for shuttle buses.

Air travel from Logan Airport at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic dropped over 90% vs. the previous year and has struggled to rebound to levels even remotely close to 2019 levels.

Massport says the garage will stay closed until passenger volumes increase.

A Massport spokesperson did not have a response to our question about the move increasing the cost for travelers, except to say you don't have to park at the airport.

If you're planning to park long-term at Logan Airport, be prepared to pay, or seek out parking alternatives.