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Airport drop off charges
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GRALISTAIR
Established Member
I will check that when I am next at Manchester!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
There are often also unofficial ones that the airport would prefer are chargeable but aren't because it's not their land so they can't, e.g. dropping someone at Birmingham International station (Manchester Airport station may also work but I haven't checked). I would say Luton Airport Parkway but of course you'd need to pay for the transit.
Kite159
Veteran Member
And no easy walking route from the main road outside the airport towards the airport with even signage to discourage people from walking in.
(https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.7...=EgoyMDI2MDIwMS4wIKXMDSoKLDEwMDc5MjA2OUgBUAM=)
A bit like the railway station car park at Southampton Airport, might involve using lifts to cross the railway but when that is free & the car park at Southampton Airport is paid for (although I would imagine someone might drop someone off at the Premier Inn and dash away considering the need for a 'grace' period for the parasitic parking companies
thejuggler
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Its difficult to redevelop an airport arrivals and terminal building without disruption.
nlogax
Established Member
Glasgow's fees are absolutely daylight robbery. I wouldn't have a problem if there was, say, a rail line to get people in and out of the airport. But no, a decade and a half after it was supposed to be ready we're still reliant on cars, taxis or the 500 bus. This feels like a major factor in GLA's very slow but steady demise and I doubt that the Clyde Metro will become a real thing in time to save it.
The 500 runs every 30 minutes at night (24 hrs) and every 10 minutes during the day so that seems fine? I've taken it before.
Topological
Established Member
Paid £8.50 at Bristol today.
To be fair, they have made a nice drop off area and the process is very smooth.
To be fair, they have made a nice drop off area and the process is very smooth.
Do you get a Tassimo coffee or something?
Topological
Established Member
I would want it to be served with an appropriate accompanying patisserie item as well for that (I do like to get an Espresso with a small cake included when traveling around Italy)Do you get a Tassimo coffee or something?
I did get a choice of barriers to pay at rather than needing to queue. So maybe that was why Bristol was more expensive than Heathrow was when I was there last week.
The 500 bus is also very expensive and the choice of vehicle (a bog standard under-powered double decker bus with the usual rock hard suspension, noisy engine and usually misted up windows) seems poorly suited to an airport service which mostly runs along a motorway and where most passengers have luggage. A coach would be much better. That said for drop off by car, there is a petrol station just a couple of minutes walk from the terminal so just drop off there and put a few £ of petrol in is a good option (they also have electric car chargers too).
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
While it may not apply to this one, watch out for petrol stations that have as part of their displayed terms and conditions that it is not permissible for someone who arrived in a vehicle to leave the premises while the vehicle is present on site. There is one by East Midlands Airport that can and does enforce this term to prevent it being used for drop-off whether petrol is purchased or not.
Can't see how they could enforce this? Unless there is no suitable walking route, I don't think they could do much about someone getting out and walking. I may be wrong but I can't think of any law saying you cannot exit a vehicle in a petrol station!
Falcon1200
Established Member
It certainly is! They state the increase (around 17%, from £6 to £7) is due to increased costs - What costs? All they provide is a miserable concrete cavern!
Good luck persuading my wife to take two walks and two buses to get between where we live and Glasgow Airport, taking (at least) four times as long as me dropping her off and picking her up. Not going to happen!
Well no, public transport isn't an option for literally everybody at every hour; but people choose where they live, and if living further away from a bus route that is done so in the knowledge that one may occasionally incur charges such as parking, congestion charge zones, or indeed airport drop-off charges.
It takes me two buses (or a bus+tram or train+bus or train+tram) to get to my nearest airport; I do it pretty much every time I visit. The exceptions are when I'm picking up a disabled friend or family member (in which case they get an hour free parking at the airport with a Blue Badge), or I'm parking at the airport, in which case the drop off fee doesn't really apply.
Angmering1974
On Moderation
Tickets used to be equiv of £200-500 before "low cost" sure but you also had proper staff at the airport, customer service that doesn't hang up the phone, comfortable roomier seats, food, drinks, more staff on board, less waiting in the rain on the tarmac, free drop off, less extortionate car parking, baggage, and so on
You can't even opt back in to most of that stuff (proper customer service, comfier seats, better IRROPs handling etc) by paying more or choosing a different airline
You can't even opt back in to most of that stuff (proper customer service, comfier seats, better IRROPs handling etc) by paying more or choosing a different airline
nlogax
Established Member
It's a dismal service and hardly fit for a city of over half a million people with an airport that continues to cater to nearly two dozen daily direct flights to and from London. There was a good reason to propose a rail service and that appears to have been forgotten.
That particular BP is a hotspot for drivers fined specifically for using it for drop-offs. If I was dropping someone off I'd be aiming for somewhere close to the rental car lot. *ahem*. Probably.
greatkingrat
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If I am stopped at a petrol station buying petrol and my passenger decides to get out and walk to the airport, how can the driver be held liable for anything? If any penalty is due, surely it is the passenger who would owe it?
They can’t, I agree.
They know that lots of recipients of their invoices simply pay up. They’ll give up on those who don’t, eventually.
Or indeed, if I absent mindedly drive off leaving my (adult) passenger behind in the shop.
Dstock7080
Established Member
Stansted increasing again:
www.bbc.co.uk
The fee for vehicle drop-offs directly outside the terminal has increased to £28 for stays 15-30mins.
Rates for vehicles stopping for under 15mins have also increased, by 40%, from £7 to £10.
Stansted Airport drop-off fees increase to £28 for 15 minutes
A spokesperson says it wants customers to use greener methods like public transport.
www.bbc.co.uk
The fee for vehicle drop-offs directly outside the terminal has increased to £28 for stays 15-30mins.
Rates for vehicles stopping for under 15mins have also increased, by 40%, from £7 to £10.
Stansted increasing again:
Stansted Airport drop-off fees increase to £28 for 15 minutes
A spokesperson says it wants customers to use greener methods like public transport.
The fee for vehicle drop-offs directly outside the terminal has increased to £28 for stays 15-30mins.
Rates for vehicles stopping for under 15mins have also increased, by 40%, from £7 to £10.
Does anyone actually need a 15-30 minute drop off?
thejuggler
Established Member
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Probably not, but what happens when someone doesn't want or need a 15-20 minute drop off ends up being delayed? Accident, congestion, medical emergency?
There was recently so much congestion at Manchester the 'quick' drivers were delayed. Tne system charged them a huge amount.
What a lot of green washing BS around this in the story I read. To claim any part of the decision was justified because cars the most polluting way of reaching the airport is laughable at best. Do they know how stupid that sounds when people are going there with the sole purpose of burning thousands of tonnes of fuel just to go for a party in Ibiza. Ridiculous,Stansted increasing again:
Stansted Airport drop-off fees increase to £28 for 15 minutes
A spokesperson says it wants customers to use greener methods like public transport.
The fee for vehicle drop-offs directly outside the terminal has increased to £28 for stays 15-30mins.
Rates for vehicles stopping for under 15mins have also increased, by 40%, from £7 to £10.
TravelDream
Member
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- 7 Aug 2016
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- 1,162
I am pretty sure that petrol station makes more money from fines than it does from fuel.
Their Google reviews say it all. However, it is super close to the terminal and I can see why many people would see it as an ideal 'drop off/ pick up' zone. Half of the one star reviews refer to dropping someone off for 'seconds', or just happening to meet their wife at the petrol station somehow accidentally - so perhaps the company has a point having this system in place.
East Mids has 60 mins free parking at long stay. Though that's a good 20 minute walk to the terminal and the free shuttle bus only runs in the summer. There are better/ closer free places to pick up and drop off without the risk of a fine.
Obviously it's just money making. But you can still park for free at the 'mid-stay' car park and take the free shuttle bus.
Indeed, but free parking elsewhere makes the line about cars being polluting and not welcome at our airport sound even more ridiculous.
it’s the Gatwick one which annoys me so much, paying to pick up at a national rail station when you’re not using the airport leaves a very bad taste. Airports really are hideous places.
Bishopstone
Established Member
If they’re arriving in the area by train, tell them to get a ticket to Horley or Three Bridges and pick them up there, for free.
If they’re picky and insist that only a Gatwick pick-up will do, point them in the direction of the well-filled taxi rank.
Airports are brilliant places. They are just railway stations for planes.
However, they really aren't designed for private cars being able to linger outside.
I think we’ll have to disagree on that one. Being herded from queue to queue and then being asked to remove various items of clothing before sending my valuables through a scanning machine where anybody can pick them up at the other end, all at at 0530 isn’t my idea of a great start to turn day. Then I have to buy a £3.50 bottle of water because I’m not allowed to take my own with me, which is also irritating. Al of this takes 2 hours, and none of this happens at a railway station. I use them, but I really dislike them, whereas a railway station I find I can do things at my pace and generally enjoy the experience.
TravelDream
Member
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You can pick up from the preceeding or following stations, surely?
Free parking at the train station would be a joke as it is moments from the terminal.
I think we’ll have to disagree on that one. Being herded from queue to queue and then being asked to remove various items of clothing before sending my valuables through a scanning machine where anybody can pick them up at the other end, all at at 0530 isn’t my idea of a great start to turn day. Then I have to buy a £3.50 bottle of water because I’m not allowed to take my own with me, which is also irritating. Al of this takes 2 hours, and none of this happens at a railway station. I use them, but I really dislike them, whereas a railway station I find I can do things at my pace and generally enjoy the experience.
'Herded from queue to queue' is stretching it a bit. It's a couple of queues and you are free to roam. Not too much different to Eurostar either.
I am not sure where you are buying your water as £3.50 is extreme. Sub £2 is found at most airports. Plus prices are no different that at train stations.
Anyway, you can take an empty bottle through and fill it airside at every UK airport. Some now allow you to take liquids through, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham and Edinburgh, where 2 litres is the new limit.
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