The UK airports with highest drop-off fees revealed as summer holidays get underway
Gatwick and Stansted airports charge the highest drop-off fees from drivers in the UK, new research has found.
Airports charge £10 for 10 minutes and 15 minutes respectively, according to analysis by the RAC ahead of the summer holiday season.
Edinburgh and Bristol are next in line, both charging £8.50 for 10 minutes.
The increase for electric vehicle owners in Edinburgh is 183 per cent because the previous half price concession has been abolished.
London City Airport, previously the UK’s only major hub to allow free drop-offs outside its terminal, now charges the country’s most expensive fare at £8 for five minutes.
More than three-quarters of airports in the UK have increased or introduced drop-off charges for drivers in the past year.
16 of 20 airports surveyed by the RAC have increased “kiss and fly” charges since last summer, which are charged to drop off passengers as close to the terminal as possible.
This led to an average cost increase of one third.
Only four airports (Liverpool John Lennon, East Midlands, Belfast City and Southampton) have refrained from increasing their fees this year.
Passengers arriving at UK airports in taxis and private hire vehicles routinely face drop-off charges.
The RAC emphasizes that, on the contrary, the 10 busiest airports in the European Union or major global hubs such as Dubai, Shanghai or Istanbul do not impose such charges.
Although UK airports offer free drop-off zones in medium- or long-stay car parks, these often require a bus transfer to the terminal.
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: “It is disappointing to see many airports charging so much for what many consider a simple act of courtesy in dropping off family and friends.
“Having a mandatory audience should not be an excuse for these farewell fees, especially when these fees are completely at odds with how major airports operate around the world.
“Of course airports need to carefully manage the limited space they have, but if free, convenient drop-off zones work at many other international airports then why not here?”
Mr Dennis also urged motorists to be “extremely careful” about parking now, paying later in drop-off zones without barriers.
He said: “Those who take it down and miss the sign, or forget to pay immediately afterwards, could face a parking charge notice of up to £100, a charge that appears clearly disproportionate to the infringement.”
Conservative peer Lord Moylan has proposed an amendment to the Civil Aviation Bill calling for a review of drop-off charges.
A spokesman for industry body AirportsUK said: “Where drop-off charges are charged, they are part of the airport business model and help support the widest variety of flights from the airport.
“They are essential for managing congestion and the traffic and air pollution concerns of our local communities, as well as for our climate change targets.
“These are matters for which airports should be managed by the Government and local authorities.
“Airports outside the UK have a different business model, with airports that are generally publicly owned and receive government subsidies and tax breaks.
“The UK airport sector, by contrast, is generally privately owned and pays full commercial tax rates.”
Here’s a breakdown of the fees for each airport
£10: Gatwick and Stansted
£8.50: Bristol and Edinburgh
£8: Bournemouth, Leeds Bradford and City of London
£7: Aberdeen, Birmingham, Glasgow, Heathrow, Luton and Southampton
£6: Liverpool John Lennon and Newcastle
£5.50: Manchester
£5: Belfast International and East Midlands
£4.50: Cardiff
£4: City of Belfast
UK airports make changes to e-gate rule
UK airports are preparing for the summer rush by extending e-gate access to young children, in a move announced by the Home Office to help reduce waiting times for incoming travellers.
Children aged eight and nine returning to the UK will be entitled to use the automatic passport control system.
This policy change is expected to allow up to 1.5 million more children to pass through electronic gates, according to government figures.
The timing coincides with the ongoing summer holiday period; Schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland are already closed, while schools in England and Wales will close in late June.
However, special conditions apply: in order to be accurately scanned by biometric systems, children must be at least 120 cm tall and must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
