Dublin Airport has announced it will contact approximately 4,500 customers who were mistakenly overcharged for parking during promotional offers earlier this year, and will issue refunds totaling €350,000, reports RTE.
The matter surfaced after several customers lodged complaints with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
The airport explained that the pricing error took place during two promotional events — the ‘Holiday Blue Flash Sale’ in March and the ‘Long Term Car Parking Promotion’ in May, reports RTE.
During these campaigns, a flat daily rate of €10 was mistakenly applied to all eligible dates, which unintentionally replaced lower off-peak rates.
As a result, around 4,500 customers ended up being charged more than they should have, with total overcharges amounting to €25,000. Individual cases ranged from €1 to €64 in excess charges, reports RTE.
Dublin Airport said that 90% of those affected were overcharged by less than €12, with the average extra charge coming in at about €5.90.
It added that following notification from the CCPC, a full internal investigation was undertaken, reports RTE.
Those impacted will receive a full refund of their booking — not just the excess portion — amounting to about €350,000 in total. In addition, they will be offered a 20% discount on future parking bookings as “a goodwill gesture”.
Dublin Airport CEO Kenny Jacobs issued an apology for the overcharges and confirmed that “new checks” are now in place to prevent similar errors in the future, reports RTE.
The CCPC stated that consumers can expect to receive their refunds directly within five to ten days.
Among the complaints submitted to the CCPC was one from a consumer who noted that on 9 March, the day before the sale, a 10-day parking stay was priced at €83. During the sale, the same dates rose to €110, only to return to €83 after the sale ended, reports RTE.
Another complaint involved a customer who paid €60 for five days of parking during the promotion, while the same service was priced at €56 once the promotion ended.
“We welcome the swift action taken by daa following contact from the CCPC alerting it to potential breaches of consumer protection laws,” CCPC Chair Brian McHugh said, reports RTE.
“The CCPC was able to take this action thanks to consumers who took the time to report concerns about misleading sales pricing. All calls to the CCPC helpline are screened for potential breaches of consumer protection law and drive our enforcement and compliance activities,” Mr McHugh said, reports RTE.
“The flash sales coincided with the addition of a new competitor in the airport car park market. Active competition among businesses is vital to drive choice, better service and innovation. However, any promotions need to be grounded in real benefits to consumers,” he added, reports RTE.
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