Beat Budget Airline Charges Article Discussion

ask66

If you are getting someone (even a taxi) to drop you off or pick you up from East Midlands Airport, there has been a minimum £1 charge to enter the car park or "drop off zone" since last summer. If, like me, you think this is a bit cheeky of EMA, it's easy and convenient to avoid paying as long as you won't need to leave the car unattended.

FOR DROP-OFFS: Enter the airport complex at the main traffic-light controlled entrance from the A453. At the big roundabout, turn left onto Viscount Road (probably signposted to long-stay car parks), go straight over the next small roundabout, over the zebra crossing, at the next small roundabout double back on yourself. Immediately after the zebra crossing is a handy bus layby, you are right next to departures.

FOR PICK-UPS: Enter the airport complex at the main traffic-light controlled entrance from the A453. At the big roundabout, take the second exit as if going to the petrol station. There is a bus stop (no layby unfortunately) where you can stop to pick up your passengers. Then pull in to the petrol station to turn round. (Your arriving passengers will need to turn left out of arrivals, and walk past the car park entrance and towards the petrol station).

Watch out, if you drive beyond the petrol station towards the terminal building, you cannot change your mind and will have to pay to enter the car park!

agent69

If I use bank transfer to top up a Fair FX Anywhere card, will my bank charge me a fee?

musicmaker29

bd14 wrote: »

i do not understand how some airlines get away with charging a fee for online checkin, and a larger fee for checkin at airport.

you have to check in to board. there are only two options as to how you can checkin.

surely only one option can carry an additional fee. in the current system where you must pay extra even for online check-in, it means that the advertised price can never be available. is this not a false invitation to trade , and therefore illegal ??

do you know if any passengers, consumer groups or regulators have taken the airlines to task on this point, and with what result ?

spot on mate - its a disgusting and deceptive practice. I think that, even if they included the lower online charge in the advertised price the fares would still look low enough - so why bother with the deception?

richardw

It's just a marketing thing, the online checkin charge, in this example the fare could be £3 and the online charge is £6, or the fare is £4 and the tax is £5, or the fare is £0 the tax is £5 and the check in is £4.

Going Out: 27/03/2011 17:30hrs
London-Stansted - Zadar
1 x Adult 9.00 GBP
Taxes/Fees 0.00 GBP
1 x Free Web Check in 0.00 GBP

Total Cost 9.00 GBP

musicmaker29

richardw wrote: »

It's just a marketing thing, the online checkin charge, in this example the fare is really £3 and the online charge is £6

Going Out: 27/03/2011 17:30hrs
London-Stansted - Zadar
1 x Adult 9.00 GBP
Taxes/Fees 0.00 GBP
1 x Free Web Check in 0.00 GBP

Total Cost 9.00 GBP

So do they advertise the fare at £3 or £9? if they advertise it at £9 then no probs, its if/when they advertise it at £3 that, in my eyes, it becomes misleading.

richardw

musicmaker29 wrote: »

its if/when they advertise it at £3 that, in my eyes, it becomes misleading.

They don't do that.

This one is advertised at £9.

The higher fares such as

Going Out: 02/03/2011 10:10hrs
London-Gatwick - Madrid

1 x Adult 59.99 GBP
Taxes/Fees 30.85 GBP
1 x Web Check in 6.00 GBP

Total Cost 96.84 GBP

aren't advertised or promoted.

Sheffieldstag

ask66 wrote: »

If you are getting someone (even a taxi) to drop you off or pick you up from East Midlands Airport, there has been a minimum £1 charge to enter the car park or "drop off zone" since last summer. If, like me, you think this is a bit cheeky of EMA, it's easy and convenient to avoid paying as long as you won't need to leave the car unattended.

FOR DROP-OFFS: Enter the airport complex at the main traffic-light controlled entrance from the A453. At the big roundabout, turn left onto Viscount Road (probably signposted to long-stay car parks), go straight over the next small roundabout, over the zebra crossing, at the next small roundabout double back on yourself. Immediately after the zebra crossing is a handy bus layby, you are right next to departures.

FOR PICK-UPS: Enter the airport complex at the main traffic-light controlled entrance from the A453. At the big roundabout, take the second exit as if going to the petrol station. There is a bus stop (no layby unfortunately) where you can stop to pick up your passengers. Then pull in to the petrol station to turn round. (Your arriving passengers will need to turn left out of arrivals, and walk past the car park entrance and towards the petrol station).

Watch out, if you drive beyond the petrol station towards the terminal building, you cannot change your mind and will have to pay to enter the car park!

These drop off zones are now becoming standard at all Airports and things are clearly being put in place to prevent illegal parking/dropping off.

I would be careful where you choose to drop off and encourage people to use the drop off area as it is only £1. The Airport does employ clampers and as I understand, with the outlawing of clamping, the Airport will be/or maybe already has introducted a number plate recognition system which will issue a parking ticket for illegal parking.

Notwithstanding all the security issues at Airports, I don't think it is wise to wait at non-pick up/drop off areas.

musicmaker29

Sheffieldstag wrote: »

These drop off zones are now becoming standard at all Airports and things are clearly being put in place to prevent illegal parking/dropping off.

I would be careful where you choose to drop off and encourage people to use the drop off area as it is only £1. The Airport does employ clampers and as I understand, with the outlawing of clamping, the Airport will be/or maybe already has introducted a number plate recognition system which will issue a parking ticket for illegal parking.

Notwithstanding all the security issues at Airports, I don't think it is wise to wait at non-pick up/drop off areas.

I think that EMA have a free drop off area in car parks 6 and 7 (not sure of the numbers). You then get a free shuttle bus up to the terminal. Good way of saving a quid, but also a lot of hassle to go to to save a quid....

Parking isn't bad at EMA though, I just booked in at £16 for four days - depending on how far away you are from the airport that can't be much more than the extra petrol you will burn doing a further return trip/taxi fare etc.

musicmaker29

richardw wrote: »

They don't do that.

This one is advertised at £9.

The higher fares such as

Going Out: 02/03/2011 10:10hrs
London-Gatwick - Madrid

1 x Adult 59.99 GBP
Taxes/Fees 30.85 GBP
1 x Web Check in 6.00 GBP

Total Cost 96.84 GBP

aren't advertised or promoted.

ah right, I stand corrected! thanks very much for clarifying that. I still think they should just include it inthe main fare and not break it down/add it as a separate fee - but if they aren't adding it to advertised fares that's nowhere near as bad.

ask66

Sheffieldstag wrote: »

These drop off zones are now becoming standard at all Airports and things are clearly being put in place to prevent illegal parking/dropping off.

Parking might be illegal but I'm not sure even EMA will be able to make dropping off illegal (I'm not sure "illegal" is the most appropriate word -more like "against their rules")

Sheffieldstag wrote: »

the Airport will be/or maybe already has introducted a number plate recognition system which will issue a parking ticket for illegal parking.

Parking - maybe. Dropping off - never! I'd like to see them try issuing tickets to people who pull up, allow their passengers to disembark, then drive off - all within about 30 seconds, with the car engine left running. If they want to send me one of those tickets, take three guesses where I'd put it!

Remember the perimeter roads around the EMA site are used by employees of, and visitors to, many private businesses, not only the airport.

But if you feel dropping off is worth the £1, then pay it! Don't be surprised, though, when it goes up to £2, then £3, £4, £5...

UPDATE April 2011: Flew from EMA last week and noticed new portable signs advertising that the airport roads are private, number plate recognition is in place, and a £100 penalty applies for stopping your car! As I said earlier, it won't deter me, and I would almost like to receive a penalty charge notice just so I could make a point of not paying it. You could always say that your car engine cut out which forced you to stop...