Fethiye Times has always been amazed at the prices charged by the establishments inside and outside Dalaman International airport now and in the past. From taxi services and car parking to a can of coke prices are 'sky-high'. The new terminal even appears to have been designed to extort money from the unwary traveller with very few seats other than those in the various bars and restaurants. As a result Fethiye Times has advised readers to take their own food and drink.

Of course Dalaman isn’t the only airport afflicted by this “price ‘em high mentality”. Antalya, Bodrum and Istanbul Ataturk Airport are all the same.

But now a group of local airport users, incensed by the ‘rip-off’ prices have banded together to develop a website and petition calling for Dalaman International airport’s management to reduce their sky high prices for food and drink.

{mosimage}On their website they say that “whilst the opening of the new international terminal at Dalaman Airport shows the importance of, and commitment to serving the needs of visitors to South West Turkey from abroad, anyone who has used the facility will have first hand experience of the prices being charged in the food and drink outlets”.

They go on to say that “prices are simply outrageous, and give a bitter taste to thousands of people as they depart and that reasonable pricing could well result in much greater profits for these businesses, as more and more people are choosing to bring their own provisions, or simply do without”.

They say that they hope that their campaign will let the management of the airport know that those who sign the on-line petition we will not be using any of the food and drink facilities while they maintain rip off prices!

The site has already collected around 5,000 signatures and many comments from disgruntled travellers who have used the airport. The comments range from a general dissatisfaction with seating arrangements and food and drink prices through to the alarming where people say they have been sworn at (in English) by staff at the airport!

So do you think the airport food and drink is a ‘rip-off’? If you do then visit www.dalaman.co.uk and make your vote count.