The Great Airport Drop-Off Rip-Off
How much should it cost to say goodbye?
Stansted £10
·
Gatwick £10/10 mins
·
Bristol £8.50
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Edinburgh £8.50
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Leeds Bradford £8
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London City £8
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Heathrow £7
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Manchester from £5.50
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Stansted £10 · Gatwick £10/10 mins · Bristol £8.50 · Edinburgh £8.50 · Leeds Bradford £8 · London City £8 · Heathrow £7 · Manchester from £5.50 ·
A quick hug and a wave goodbye. A suitcase lifted out of the boot.
And then a bill for the privilege.
Welcome to the world of airport drop-off charges.
Across the UK, airports are charging drivers simply to stop outside a terminal for a few minutes. What used to be a fairly unremarkable part of taking someone to the airport has become yet another expense.
And it's not just holidaymakers who are paying. Business travellers, their employers, taxi passengers and anyone arranging transport to an airport can find themselves picking up the bill.
But how much is too much? Are these charges reasonable? And what, exactly, are we paying for?
At Global Travel Management, we think it's time to ask a few questions.
That's why we're launching The Great Airport Drop-Off Rip-Off.
How much should it cost to say goodbye?
We're not suggesting that airports should allow unlimited free parking outside their terminals. Airports are busy places. Traffic needs managing, access must remain safe and congestion is a genuine concern.
But surely there's a difference between managing traffic and charging someone for the few minutes it takes to say goodbye?
Airport operators may argue that charges discourage unnecessary car journeys, encourage public transport and help manage demand outside terminals.
Fair enough. Let's hear the evidence.
But let's also ask whether the charges are proportionate, whether the alternatives are practical and whether passengers are being treated fairly.
Because for many people, driving to an airport isn't a luxury. It may be the only realistic option, particularly for early departures, late arrivals, passengers with additional needs or travellers carrying substantial luggage.
And for businesses, these charges are another small expense that can quietly add up.
We want to hear from you
Have you recently dropped someone off at a UK airport?
Did the charge seem reasonable? Did you feel you had a choice? Or did you find yourself paying several pounds for a goodbye that lasted less time than it takes to make a cup of tea?
Perhaps you've found an airport that handles drop-offs particularly well.
We'd like to hear about that, too.
We've got four questions:
1. Which UK airport did you last drop someone off at, and how much did it cost?
Approximately how long were you there?
2. Do you think airport drop-off charges are fair?
Or have they become an unreasonable way of making money from passengers?
3. Who should pay these charges when someone is travelling on business?
The traveller, their employer, or should airports reconsider charging in the first place?
4. If you could change one thing about airport drop-off charges, what would it be?
A free ten-minute period? Lower prices? Better free alternatives? Or something else entirely?
You don't need to answer every question. A single observation, a personal experience or a strongly held opinion is perfectly welcome.
Send your answers to sayhello@gtm.uk.com.
Please tell us if you're happy for us to contact you about publishing your contribution. We won't publish your name or comments without your permission.
We're putting the travel industry in the Hot Seat
This isn't just about collecting stories of expensive airport goodbyes.
We're also inviting travel industry leaders, business travel buyers, employers and other interested organisations to tell us what they think.
We're asking each of them three questions:
Are airport drop-off charges fair, or have they become an easy way for airports to make money from passengers?
What impact do these charges have on business travellers and the companies paying their travel expenses?
If you could change one thing about airport drop-off charges tomorrow, what would it be — and why?
We'll publish their responses here as the campaign develops.
And we're asking contributors to nominate someone else to take the Hot Seat. After all, the more perspectives we hear, the more interesting the conversation becomes.
Join the conversation
Whether you're a frequent business traveller, a parent dropping off a student, a taxi driver, a travel manager or someone responsible for running an airport, we'd like to hear from you.
Tell us what you've paid. Tell us whether you think it's fair. And tell us what you'd change.
Email sayhello@gtm.uk.com to have your say.
Because saying goodbye at an airport shouldn't have to cost the earth.