Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Alireza Mahpour
• Amirhossein Baghestani
• Sahand Heshami

Faculty of Civil, Water, and Environmental Engineering Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran

Abstract

This study proposes a practical pricing framework for airport parking infrastructure, with a particular focus on aging airports where construction costs have been amortized. Employing a benefit-cost analysis approach, the study investigates the case of Mehrabad Airport in Tehran, Iran—an operational airport since 1938 with a well-established parking system. Financial data, including annual operational costs and revenue figures from parking lot contractors, were obtained from airport management to assess current profit margins and determine a fair equilibrium price for parking services. The results reveal an average profit margin of approximately 40% for contractors, suggesting a pricing imbalance that favors private operators at the expense of both customers and the airport authority. Based on these findings, the study recommends a set of policy interventions, such as adjusting parking tariffs to reflect real traffic conditions, increasing lease rates for contractors, and enforcing service quality regulations. These measures aim to enhance transparency, promote equitable pricing, and align stakeholder interests in the airport parking sector. The proposed methodology offers a replicable model for pricing public-use infrastructure assets at both mature and emerging airports globally.

Keywords

• Airport Infrastructure
• Parking Pricing
• Benefit-Cost Analysis
• Public Asset Management
• Mehrabad Airport