Dubai: Residents who leave their cars in airport parking lots for extended periods now face thousands of dirhams in fines and even the auctioning of their vehicles, airport authorities in Dubai have warned.
A Dubai Airports spokesman told XPRESS vehicles can be parked for a maximum of one month at car parks at all the terminals at Dubai International Airports (Car Park A – Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3) and at Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central.
Vehicles can, however, be parked for more than a month, but only up to a period of three months in Car Park B (long term) at Terminal 1 of Dubai International airport.
“Parking beyond the maximum allowed period incurs a fine of Dh1,000 in addition to the parking charges for the period, towing charges of Dh500 (police) and an additional Dh150 if the parking ticket is lost,” the spokesperson told XPRESS.
Gathering dust
On a recent visit to Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 car park, XPRESS found scores of vehicles gathering dust, many with flat tyres. In a barely 10-minute drive through the four levels of the car park, this reporter came across at least 50 cars of various makes - old Lexuses to brand new SUVs – covered in dust and abandoned.
Among them was a Dubai registered grimy white Mitsubishi Pajero with deflated rear tyres, almost six years old according to the year of manufacture. Then there was a black Skoda with four flat tyres with the rims completely corroded. Not far from it stood a very old white Lexus covered in dust and stains of trickling mud. Surprisingly, the car’s two number plates were missing.
What looked like cat’s paw marks adorned an Abu Dhabi registered white Toyota Corolla as well as a black Ford Mustang, both smudged by layers of dust and seemingly left unclaimed for months.
“I have been working here for the last two months and have seen at least 30 cars in just one level in the same parking bay. My colleagues who have been here for two years say many of those cars have been here that long,” said Bangladeshi Shafiq, 23, who is employed by a car washing company contracted to operate in the airport car park.
However, authorities are now cautioning residents that cars parked at the airport beyond the specified maximum time can be towed away after due procedures.
They can then, as per the laws in Dubai, be auctioned off by Dubai Police.
“Between July 2013 and May 2014, the car parks at Dubai International accommodated over 5.5 million vehicles while the number of vehicles left unclaimed is approximately 70 – that is 0.0012 per cent of the total number of cars that were parked at our car parks,” added the airport spokesperson.
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