Airports under spotlight over pick-up and drop-off fees
Motoring group the RAC has described drop-off and pick-up charges at UK airports as ‘eye-watering’, saying some have doubled over the past year.
The company’s research found eight of the top 20 UK airports had increased pick-up fees, while five airports had raised charges for drivers dropping passengers off.
Stansted is the most expensive UK airport for drop-off charges, with prices up 50p to £3.50 for 10 minutes in the past year.
Liverpool John Lennon increased drop-off fees by 50%, from £2 for 20 minutes to £3 for 30 minutes, while Birmingham doubled its charge from £1 to £2 for 10 minutes.
Glasgow scrapped its free drop-off charge in April and introduced a £2 for 10-minute charge, while Southampton also introduced a fee, of £1 for 10-minutes.
RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: "The eye-watering drop-off and pick-up costs at some airports is likely to be viewed by drivers as another way of making money out of them – particularly in instances where public transport to and from the airport simply isn’t a viable option.
"Drop-off charges are the biggest bone of contention, as for many they appear severe when they are simply pulling up for less than five minutes and often don’t even get out of the car themselves."
For pick ups, Luton airport is the most expensive, charging £7 for 40 minutes; Stansted charges £5 for 30 minutes, Gatwick charges £3.50.
London City airport raised fees by £1, to £3.50 for a 10-minute stop, while Southampton and Cardiff airports both introduced pick up charges of £1 for 10 minutes, having previously charged nothing for the first 10 or 20 minutes respectively.
Belfast City, Leeds Bradford and Liverpool John Lennon currently offer free short-stay parking for pick ups.
The Airport Operators Association said charges were clearly flagged up and passengers have a ‘high level of awareness of the different ways they can choose to get to the airport, ranging from public transport to travelling by car’.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt