WA Cobham Airport Raised Car Park Price After Booking?

[alex-m- Jones]

Hi all,

This is my first post, so sorry if it's wrong.

I work FIFO. Before flying out, I checked their car park prices to see if it was worth just parking there. The cost on the website was $8.50 a day, so I parked there 31/08/17. I have just finished a five week stint and thought I would check the cost before flying home. The website now states $11.90 as from the 03/09/17.

I rang and spoke to Cobham and they have told me I will be paying the new rate from the change over date, regardless of the rate I booked in at. They say they did everything in there power to notify people of the change. E.g. site notice to be read at pre-start, which as I didn't see it, I assume I was on break. Also notices on check-in counters, which I have also not seen.

My question to her was, why was the new rate to come into effect stated on there website and why was there not a sign at the car park entry gate? To which the response was "Cobham have done all in there power to notify everyone and you will have to pay the new rates".

Anyway my question is, can they do this?

I feel I should only be paying the rates I checked in under.

Any help would be appreciated - it is not the extra $100.00, it's the principle.

Thank you in advance

 

[Rob Legat - SBPL]

Good business sense would be to honour the original price, but that's for them to decide.

If they took reasonable steps to notify you, there could be an argument for you to pay the increased amount. It depends on what is reasonable though. If you pre-booked the whole period, I would say they should have given you specific notice rather than just a notice on a counter. Whether a judge would agree is a different matter though.

In any case, 100 dollars is not worth the argument. I'd say to them they should honour the agreed price. If they won't, thank them for their service, pay the money and tell them you're taking your business elsewhere.

 

[Rod]

My response will depend on their attitude.

If they we nice about it but still insistent, I'd probably pay the amount they requested.

If they were not nice or were arrogant and dismissive, I'd pay the contracted amount and tell them to take me to court for the difference.