Airport drop off charges

[Western Sunset]

Absolutely no free drop-off/pick-up at Bournemouth. You're not even allowed to walk in...

For Gatwick, as others have said, there's still free pick-up /drop-off using the long stay and taking the free shuttle. For picking-up, I usually find a lay-bye a mile or so from the airport, and follow Flightradar to see when the flight has arrived. Then park-up for free and wait for them to meet me via the free shuttle. Bristol has a similar free set up too, using the free shuttle.

 

[Stephen42]

Neither covers it. The issue is the drop off charge not being paid when using the drop off zone correctly, not what happens if you enter it for longer than the allotted time (5.3) or park somewhere other than a car park (6.3).

I'd agree the byelaws do not cover the payment of the drop off charge. However, the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 Schedule 4 has as the definition of relevant land:

3(1)In this Schedule “relevant land” means any land (including land above or below ground level) other than—
(a)a highway maintainable at the public expense (within the meaning of section 329(1) of the Highways Act 1980);
(b)a parking place which is provided or controlled by a traffic authority;
(c)any land (not falling within paragraph (a) or (b)) on which the parking of a vehicle is subject to statutory control.
(2)In sub-paragraph (1)(b)—

• “parking place” has the meaning given by section 32(4)(b) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984;
• “traffic authority” means each of the following ...

(3)For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(c) the parking of a vehicle on land is “subject to statutory control” if any statutory provision imposes a liability (whether criminal or civil, and whether in the form of a fee or charge or a penalty of any kind) in respect of the parking on that land of vehicles generally or of vehicles of a description that includes the vehicle in question.
(4)In sub-paragraph (3) “statutory provision” means any provision (apart from this Schedule) contained in—
(a)any Act (including a local or private Act), whenever passed; or
(b)any subordinate legislation, whenever made,
and for this purpose “subordinate legislation” means an Order in Council or any order, regulations, byelaws or other legislative instrument.

The statutory control condition is about any liability for parking vehicles generally or a specific type of vehicle if a vehicle is of a particular type. Land is either relevant or not by that phrasing, neither 3(1)c or 3(3) indicate the land is not excluded if the liability for a particular claim is not statutory.

I'd expect Gatwick Airport is fully aware they can't use that legislation and don't attempt to in their communication based on the appeal template provided earlier in the thread.

 

[thejuggler]

You are peering through the wrong end of the telescope.

POFA was designed to cover land which CAN'T be managed through statutory control such as byelaws.
As Gatwick has byelaws already in place it has statutory control powers and operates under those byelaws, they can be amended as they see fit

Rather than do this airports generally use private parking companies to manage a problem which doesn't exist. People believe the invoices and scary letters and pay up, but in general once an appeal is sent which indicates the appellant knows their onions the charge is cancelled as its not worth pursuing someone who knows the score if dozens of others are simply paying up.

This situation also applies to Railway stations (and the new Leeds Station scary letters are just a begging letter to pay up), but this is likely to be amended in an upcoming change to POFA and Railway Stations car parks will be classed as "Relevant Land" under the revised legislation - Protection of Freedom Act 2012 (Definition of Relevant Land)(Amendment) Order 2025,

 

[Dstock7080]

Related but the Heathrow airport drop off charge is increasing to £7 from 1 January 2026, to match Gatwick (for one week!):

Terminal Drop-Off Charge

Find out about dropping off passengers at Heathrow, including using the designated drop off zones and the charges that apply.

www.heathrow.com

 

[pitdiver]

I am in the process of booking a holiday for next year so started by looking at airport options. Normally we use East Midlands but I thought I would try Luton..
I started by looking at car parking charges. It worked out as follows:-
East Midlands. £112.00 Less 20% as my wife has Blue Badge. This was in the Meet & Greet which is 2 min walk from the terminal
Luton. £328.99 no discount for blue badge. This was in the Terminal 2 park which going on previous experience is about 10 mins walk from the terminal

These prices are for exactly the same period next May.

I'm glad we moved to Nottinghamshire away from Bedfordshire

 

[Dstock7080]

Gatwick to increase to £10 from 6 January:

Gatwick Airport's drop-off fee rises to £10, UK’s highest charge

Drop-off fees will rise from £7 to £10 at the West Sussex airport from 6 January.

www.bbc.com

 

[Kite159]

It's just greed

 

[Dstock7080]

London City airport LCY now joins the charging bandwagon:
London City Airport introduces drop-off fee

London City Airport has introduced a drop-off fee, ending its status as the last London airport without such a charge.
The fee will be £8 for up to five minutes, then £1 per additional minute, with a maximum stay of 10 minutes.
London City Airport said Blue Badge holders would be exempt, and the fee for black cabs would be included in the meter fare, in line with Transport for London's agreement with other major airports.

 

[WrongRoad]

With all the major UK airports charging anything between £7-10 just for a few moments to stop and drop people off, is this fee now out of control and at a point of legalised robbery from these airport owners?

 

[alex397]

Part of me does think these charges are rather extortionate, but the other part of me is pleased to see a good disincentive to driving to the airport, and think if only it could be replicated elsewhere.
I don’t think the ‘carrot’ of encouraging people to use public transport is effective enough, and think we probably need to use more of the ‘stick’.

I have had someone drop me off at Stansted Airport before, and because of the charges I asked them to drop me off along a frequent bus route. While a car was still used, the car didn’t contribute to the pollution in the immediate airport area.
FYI: At Stansted, there is also a car park that offers a drop off facility, where airport users can then use the free car park shuttle bus to the airport. I’ve also made use of that before.

 

[simonw]

Part of me does think these charges are rather extortionate, but the other part of me is pleased to see a good disincentive to driving to the airport, and think if only it could be replicated elsewhere.
I don’t think the ‘carrot’ of encouraging people to use public transport is effective enough, and think we probably need to use more of the ‘stick’.

I have had someone drop me off at Stansted Airport before, and because of the charges I asked them to drop me off along a frequent bus route. While a car was still used, the car didn’t contribute to the pollution in the immediate airport area.
FYI: At Stansted, there is also a car park that offers a drop off facility, where airport users can then use the free car park shuttle bus to the airport. I’ve also made use of that before.

The car park plus bus is widely advertised at Gatwick and Heathrow

 

[jfollows]

Airports have changed from being places which tried to give passengers - mainly outgoing- a pleasant experience to one in which they obviously try to extract as much money as possible from people.
Forcing people to walk through shops being an obvious example.
Most of the drop off fees can’t be enforced if the driver is not identified; APCOA will cave immediately if challenged on this point. Which includes Stansted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Part of me does think these charges are rather extortionate, but the other part of me is pleased to see a good disincentive to driving to the airport, and think if only it could be replicated elsewhere.
I don’t think the ‘carrot’ of encouraging people to use public transport is effective enough, and think we probably need to use more of the ‘stick’.

With many flights being at the crack of dawn and arriving back near midnight, public transport simply doesn't provide for users' needs. The "stick" is thus inappropriate.

All it is is because low cost airlines won't pay the going rate of using the airport so they have to make money other ways.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

Most of the drop off fees can’t be enforced if the driver is not identified; APCOA will cave immediately if challenged on this point. Which includes Stansted.

Do they not count as parking fees? Parking fees can be enforced against the registered keeper - this was a concession to the industry when the right to use clamps was removed.

 

[jfollows]

Do they not count as parking fees? Parking fees can be enforced against the registered keeper - this was a concession to the industry when the right to use clamps was removed.

It’s not ‘relevant land’ for the purpose of the legislation; railway land became such recently but airport land generally remains not.

Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

An Act to provide for the destruction, retention, use and other regulation of certain evidential material; to impose consent and other requirements in relation to certain processing of biometric information relating to children; to provide for a code of practice about surveillance camera systems...

www.legislation.gov.uk

 

[thejuggler]

Find put where the free drop off is and use that - I have never paid at Leeds Bradford.

The free drop off area allows parking for an hour and is a short walk from the terminal. You can also catch a free bus from the long stay car park. It may be slightly inconvenient, but that's the price for saving money.

Airports are covered by byelaws, so regsitered keeper rules don't apply.

 

[jfollows]

Airports are covered by byelaws, so regsitered keeper rules don't apply.

Agreed, although the truth is that enough people just pay up without challenging that the parking companies do not say “we know we can’t enforce this, we just want your money” in their notices.

APCOA in particular never takes people to court, but others do, primarily to frighten them into paying or obtaining a judgment in default against them if they ignore. Most will discontinue before having to pay the £27 court fee and commit to sending someone to attend the defendant’s local court.

 

[The exile]

Part of me does think these charges are rather extortionate, but the other part of me is pleased to see a good disincentive to driving to the airport, and think if only it could be replicated elsewhere.
I don’t think the ‘carrot’ of encouraging people to use public transport is effective enough, and think we probably need to use more of the ‘stick’.

It would of course help if the airport surcharges on public transport fares were removed (where they exist). Airports should be banned from levying access charges on PSVs.

 

[signed]

Why the British airport have all collectively adopted it as a pack when none or barely any continental european airport do?

Paris Charles-de-Gaulle gets horribly jammed at peak times, especially further into T2EFG, though still maintains 10min free dropoff.

The only I am able to find during my cursory search is Amsterdam Schipol, and even then it's only €2.5/15min.

£10 (€11.60) to stop for 2-3min is crazy town, especially when the gov is all in on the idea

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10454

In September 2025, then Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security Mike Kane MP said that the government had no plans to regulate drop-off charges at airports:

The Department for Transport has no plans to monitor or limit the level of parking fees at airports.
The provision and charging of car parking at airports (including drop off and pick charges) is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify.

 

[jfollows]

Why the British airport have all collectively adopted it as a pack when none or barely any continental european airport do?

They are money-grabbing, maybe that’s not the difference, but the UK allows them to send threatening demands to registered keepers, the majority of whom are frightened into paying.
Most if their victims are unaware of the route to challenge these invoices. They tend to call them “fines” which is wrong.
If 75% of their victims just pay, they’re quids in.

 

[341o2]

Bournemouth must be the worst, because there is only the 737 bus which runs primarily for the benifit of staff.
Monday to Friday only
Departing Bournemouth 0550 & 0635
Departing Airport 1335, 1620 & 1800.
Airport charges for pick up & drop off as well.

 

[alex397]

It would of course help if the airport surcharges on public transport fares were removed (where they exist). Airports should be banned from levying access charges on PSVs.

Yes, true. This is one point I forgot to include in my reply. Public transport should be adequate in addition to having having the charges. For example, living in Kent, I can probably get a late night train from a London airport into the city, but then there will be no trains into east Kent.

 

[Rab Smith]

Part of me does think these charges are rather extortionate, but the other part of me is pleased to see a good disincentive to driving to the airport, and think if only it could be replicated elsewhere.
I don’t think the ‘carrot’ of encouraging people to use public transport is effective enough, and think we probably need to use more of the ‘stick’.

I have had someone drop me off at Stansted Airport before, and because of the charges I asked them to drop me off along a frequent bus route. While a car was still used, the car didn’t contribute to the pollution in the immediate airport area.
FYI: At Stansted, there is also a car park that offers a drop off facility, where airport users can then use the free car park shuttle bus to the airport. I’ve also made use of that before.

In order to have incentives to use alternatives to cars there has to first be an alternative! Glasgow Airport is very badly served by public transport. I arrived back on a late flight a couple of years ago and had to wait from around 2am to 5am for the first bus to run. I think it might be a bit better now with the 500 and Ember now serving the Airport but compare that to Edinburgh airport that has buses running all night and the tram from 5am.
Yet, Glasgow Airport drop off fees are now £7 for up to 15 minutes. Daylight robbery if you ask me.

 

[Sealink]

I imagine that as the Ryanairs of this world are getting huge discounts, airports will try and rake in ancillaries from wherever they can. Just like low-"cost" airlines.

What's the old phrase? Charge what the market will bear. Or maybe these days "Get away with what the market will bear"

 

[jmh59]

Find put where the free drop off is and use that - I have never paid at Leeds Bradford.

The free drop off area allows parking for an hour and is a short walk from the terminal. You can also catch a free bus from the long stay car park. It may be slightly inconvenient, but that's the price for saving money.

I remember all the fuss when LBA introduced the charge but the walk from the free car park is fine if only they'd finish the roadwork so the path doesn't keep moving.

LBA also introduced a 1h free for EVs near the terminal, twice per day per vehicle.

Manchester, which I've only dropped at once, did (still?) have a free drop-off area that had a free bus to the terminal but oddly you could only drop off, not pick up.

 

[styles]

I have no issue with them at all.

Public transport is usually an option even at unsociable hours.

People paying for expensive flights can afford a drop off fee as they have the cash.

People using budget airlines have already saved a ton on their trip.

People travelling for work can expense it.

Using airlines isn't a right, it's a privilege, and sometimes that costs a bit of money. A drop off charge is usually around the same as a pint at an airport bar.

I think it's fair enough that people using a polluting mode of transport to get to another even more polluting mode of transport are charged a tiny amount for the privilege.

 

[jfollows]

I think you’re missing the point, which is that the people who collect these fees have little legal basis for doing so and frighten the majority of people into paying on false pretences.
Paying for something isn’t the issue.
Pretending that people who don’t pay are in some way obliged to under a legal sanction is.

 

[styles]

I think you’re missing the point, which is that the people who collect these fees have little legal basis for doing so and frighten the majority of people into paying on false pretences.
Paying for something isn’t the issue.
Pretending that people who don’t pay are in some way obliged to under a legal sanction is.

What's the unlawful basis for their collection?

Unlawful being the opposite of what the original post claimed.

is this fee now out of control and at a point of legalised robbery from these airport owners?

 

[jfollows]

“unlawful” is your word, not mine!

 

[styles]

“unlawful” is your word, not mine!

Ok I'll reword it for the benefit of doubt.

people who collect these fees have little legal basis for doing so

Little legal basis is still a legal basis.

Pretending that people who don’t pay are in some way obliged to under a legal sanction is

But they are obliged to.

The driver of the vehicle has breached a contract.

That the Protection of Freedoms Act doesn't allow holding the registered keeper liable for the driver's breach of contract doesn't stop that being a breach of contract. It just makes it difficult to enforce.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Part of me does think these charges are rather extortionate, but the other part of me is pleased to see a good disincentive to driving to the airport, and think if only it could be replicated elsewhere.
I don’t think the ‘carrot’ of encouraging people to use public transport is effective enough, and think we probably need to use more of the ‘stick’.

A balanced reply which I am tending to agree with.