Britain’s Airports Charge £10 to Say Goodbye, and Parliament Noticed

The British government has agreed to a review of airport drop-off charges after a sharp run of increases. Gatwick and Stansted now charge £10 for a kerbside drop, London City charges roughly £1.60 a minute, and Manchester charges £5.50 for five minutes. Birmingham and Inverness stand out by offering 10 and 15 free minutes respectively.

The RAC found that 16 of the 20 busiest UK airports have raised their drop-off charges since last summer. The typical fee rose by £1.70 to about £7, and four in five drivers surveyed called the charges a rip-off. The same research suggests UK airports collect about £300 million a year this way, while none of the ten busiest EU airports charge for drop-offs at all.

The review is not a fee cap. It comes from an amendment to the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill, which peers accepted without government opposition and which is still moving through the House of Commons. Once enacted, the Transport Secretary would have to review and publish how charges affect passengers, weighing affordability, transparency and free drop-off. Transport minister Keir Mather said the government had no objection.

For now, restraint is a hope rather than a rule: the Department for Transport has said it wants airports to hold back on rises where public transport options are limited. The Business Travel Association has asked for a £3 cap, peak-time-only pricing and a 50 percent electric-vehicle discount, though none of that has been adopted. Drivers should still watch for penalties of up to £100 where payment is missed in barrier-free zones.

Sources: Euro Weekly News, Business Travel News Europe