Bostons Logan International Airport already enjoys a reputation for offering cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages. Now it is about to become even more popular by offering free bus transportation to and from downtown.
The goal is to alleviate its parking shortage. Logan is the fourth busiest passenger hub in the Northeast and the 19th busiest in the country. Logan is the worlds 28 busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements.
June 6th Logan commenced a three month pilot program that waives the $2 price to ride Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authoritys Silver Line buses between the airport and South Station in central Boston.
The airport faces a severe parking problem in part because of its inability to build new garages in order to satisfy demand. Environmental laws prevent the airport from building new parking garages.
Logans annual passenger traffic has increase from 15.1 million in 1980 to 28.9 million last year, which was a 5 percent increase over 2010.
To try to discourage airport parking, transport officials in March increased airport parking fees to as much as $27 a day while reducing parking fees to $7 a day in suburban lots that provide direct bus service to the airport.
Currently Logan airport is the only U.S. airport offering free transit between the airport and downtown. www.cheapfares.com