To the Airport Parking Manager

Letter to the Airport Parking Manager

I write to congratulate you on the economical and efficient procedure for online pre-booking of car parks at the airport. While for someone of my age (81¾) and condition (two unicompartmental knee replacements, advanced prostate cancer and half a dozen other age-related ailments) this is a complex and challenging process from beginning to end, I have to say it is a brilliant concept and must surely work well for almost everyone who can read or remember things.

However, it seems that I do not quite have a complete set of the characteristics of the intended market, as a few days ago I apparently drove into the wrong carpark. I cannot account for this as I made a point of noticing that my booking was made in a different carpark from last time. Carpark, L, was firmly fixed in my mind. When the printed confirmation of my booking (last August) came through I had checked the dates and times which stood out reasonably well. But the printout from my computer was so infinitesimally small that I did not notice that the system expected me to use carpark M.

On the day of departure, the machine at L was unhesitant in accepting my card and I parked and disconnected my battery and went off to a family Christmas in Upper Hutt confident that all was well.  And on my return, after the usual heart-rate-lifting walk from the terminal I was still confident. The car started without difficulty (I know that is not your problem, but I wish to make it clear that there are some things I can manage) and we rolled up to the machine at the exit gate. It did not wish to accept my card. It said it did not “recognise” it. Well, it should have. It was definitely the card I used to enter the previous week.

So I let the machine see me put the card back in my wallet. After a moment or two I got the same card out again and lo and behold everything went through without difficulty. I asked for a receipt and studied it and almost missed the gate opening with the shock. Instead of our contracted price of $67 the amount taken from my account was $124.

Now, yes, I know that your business has made it quite clear that responsibility for this unexpected account is mine. I unhesitatingly and without qualification accept that responsibility. I put the car in the wrong park.

However, given that I am now apologising abjectly for being so foolish as to even attempt to manage so complex a process; given that neither carpark was under great stress of occupancy when I was either coming or going; given that the spirit of these days of celebration is one of generosity and open-heartedness on all sides; given that I have so generously congratulated you on the concept and provision of this service ... I wonder if you might consider some adjustment by way of credit to our VISA account. If you find in your heart a willingness to make such a gesture I would not refuse to accept the money though I might have some problems with my conscience.

Thank you again for your excellent service —please do not let my personal problems detract from your enjoyment of a Happy and Prosperous 2017.

Yours sincerely

Dave Mullan