Horrendous airport drop off charges

[Cardhey]

AIBU to be pleased that the UK consumer watchdog is investigation the ridiculous drop off fees at airports and the increases over the past few years. It’s just a con. Hope they get banned.

Yep. All the airports that have this can get fucked

It’s cheaper than parking in the carpark to drop someone off, or using a taxi, and you can usually avoid completely by dropping off at one of the park & ride carpark and taking the bus. It’s not compulsory.

It’s a charge for convenience. The airports that I use have free, less convenient options so it’s a choice to be made.

Think many airports have been bought out by investment firms looking to wring as much cash out of poor travellers as possible.

Agree, it’s a disgrace.

It's a bit of that, it's also at some places a case of the airlines not wanting to pay increasing handling and other charges that the airports levy because that puts upwards pressure on fares.

Result is the airports look to raise revenue elsewhere.

It's not really a choice though. Most people use the airport most convenient to their home. Gatwick is now £10 minimum charge which is outrageous.

The airport closest to my house has a choice. Pay £8 for a few minutes for on site drop off, or drop off for free at the park and ride site a few minutes away. The passenger then hops on the free transfer bus. It does take a bit longer, but that’s the choice.

nobody is forced to drop off on site and these outrageous charges are trying to dissuade people from the ‘got to get closer’ mentality, as most airports have far too much traffic on site. It’s the same in city centre car parks, English hospital etc.

Most airports have a short period of free parking in one of their car parks, so that a driver can drop off passengers to get one of the free shuttle buses to the airport, and assist them if necessary. I think Gatwick allows 2 hours.
It doesn’t have to cost £10, or whatever the charge is.

My nearest airport is Bournemouth (Hurn) which has no public transport to it, there are no free places to drop anyone off to walk in, no park and ride, double red lines on the road to the airport and they charge £8 drop off. Other than a taxi or on-site parking there really is no other choice.

It’s a tax on travel for the vulnerable. I can get bus or a train etc but older / younger / disabled travellers find it much more of a struggle.

Local airport to me has the 8 pound drop off fee.
It is extortion , but they have a captive audience and cameras everywhere outside too ( so people can’t drop off easily elsewhere ) and all other measure to keep taking money from people. It’s disgusting.

Actually I find pick up more tricky.

At our nearest, Manchester, it is about £5.60 I think for drop-off and for pick up. And yes there is the option of free drop off and a shuttle bus if you want. You only get 5 minutes to drop off for that money but who needs longer?

However for pick up you get 15 minutes then the charges ramp up. But it's difficult to predict when to get there. If we are collecting someone we use Flight radar to check their flight and usually don't set off until the flight is down. It's about a 25 minute drive from our house. But you can't predict how long it will take someone to get off the plane and through security. We sometimes end up going round the airport until we get a message to say they are through

The one local to me has a drop off that’s about a 15 min walk away. They say there’s a shuttle bus running every half an hour.

It’s only my opinion , but I feel it’s all done deliberately that stop people flying. It isn’t working that well yet , but as prices of holidays increase and higher prices for everything else , eventually holidays will be for the rich only and package holidays not as accessible for those on a modest income.

This is a good set up, our local airport doesn't have a park and ride, the council also rerouted the bus service so if doesn't go to the airport anymore because the airport withdrew the contribution they use to make, if you get a cab you're also subject to the drop off fee. There is a retail park a ten minute walk away also owned by the airport who have now started using cameras to give large fines to anyone using it to drop off, they take pictures of anyone who looks like they have luggage even if the person doing of uses the shops while they are there. Friend of mine got fined returning a suitcase to one of the shops! She was able to successfully challenge it though. You can get the train but as soon as there is more than one person it costs more and you still need someone to drop you to the train station as there's no affordable parking at those either.
So basically you have no option other than to pay it. Their on site parking is extortionate too much higher than the bigger airports.

These are the only options at ours for parking, pick up and drop off

It’s done to try to force people onto public transport to get to the airport, with no thought for those for whom there is no bus service nearby.

I live next to Manchester airport, we can get a local permit for 1 drop and 1 pick up a day (because the train station is our local one but this doesn’t mean you can drop off at the terminals) . Since the charges we have so many people waiting in cars around where I live to reduce the waiting times and the free shuttle is only for arrivals. Taxi drivers as well as they aren’t allowed to wait close to the airport and there is cameras all over.

The point is it’s a “drop off”. An absolutely standard feature of an airport. It doesn’t require a car park.
Having a free alternative that’s a far car park and waiting for a bus is not a drop off. It’s a parking service. That’s a completely different set of logistics.

Its like charging people for using the lifts by saying theres a ramp.

No it's not that mysterious.. It's generally about airports trying to find means of raising revenue to keep their part of the travel process going (airports cost money to run) but not doing it by simply raising handling fees for the airlines (because ultimately they can go elsewhere) or increasing rent on shops in the terminal (because that might cause them to close).

I'd agree that £10 a drop and run is eye watering but there are often other options, and if not maybe just think of it as part of the cost of the journey...

I would have got a bus or train to the airport this summer , but an early flight meant nothing was running. Even the cab driver said it was madness and he hates the fact he has to charge people 8 pounds for the drop off fees. People end up paying more for the cabs for what is a ten minute journey for many people.
We are all mad in this country as we all put up with it and pay up and taken for mugs so the big corporates can make a few more pounds.

I don’t go with the argument it’s to keep places open either. Airports charge a fortune for eveything once your inside them and holidays are no longer the bargains they once were and many staff must only earn minimum wage or slightly more.
Someone is getting rich and it’s the ordinary holiday makers.

So what you’re saying is that dropping off at that airport is still the best option despite the charges? If that’s your opinion, no doubt many others think the same.

These businesses will continue with their charges while people are willing to pay them. I’m not saying it’s right, or that I agree with the prices, but why wouldn’t they?

I was responding to people saying you pay for convenience and there are other options that are free/very cheap but less convenient , that isn't the case at our local airport. You pay the fee or you don't use the airport

Gatwick is £8 for 30 minutes in the short stay car park