Mayor Introduces Airport Parking Reservation Program Ordinance
By Jim Bochnowski in News on Jun 19, 2015 2:15PM
Mayor Emanuel has introduced an ordinance that would allow Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans to establish a parking reservation program at Midway and O'Hare airports.
The ordinance would authorize the commissioner's office to create a program to allow airport passengers to reserve parking spots at the airports. Reservations would cost no less than $10 a day, on top of parking fees and taxes, according to the Sun-Times. The commissioner's office would also be permitted to create a program that rewards "frequent parkers" and to offer "additional premium parking services," such as car washing, car detailing and light maintenance services.
In an email to the Sun-Times, a mayoral aide said members of the special program would "have a guaranteed spot waiting for them to streamline the parking process and allow the passenger more time to check in and get to their gate."
Under the ordinance, the commissioner would be authorized to "negotiate and execute an airport access agreement with any off-airport parking service provider that uses airport roadways or other airport facilities to pick up, drop off or otherwise serve customers."
Creating faster, more efficient travel to the airport has been a goal of Mayor Emanuel for quite some time, with his office recently commissioning a study on how people move to and from the airports. Some believe this study could be a precursor to funding a nonstop express train from downtown Chicago and O'Hare.