Leeds Bradford airport rip off

Helen1971

I dropped my husband off at Leeds Bradford airport this morning. It took less than two minutes for him to get out of the car with his bags. On attempting to leave I found that I had to go through a barrier where I had to pay £2 to get out. I thought, "surely some mistake? I'm only dropping somebody off!" but since it was 6.30 am and nobody was around to ask I had no choice but to pay it. Lucky I had two pound coins, because the machine didn't give change!

I later called the airport (on a premium rate number - these people are robber barons!) and they said, "it's not a mistake. If you want to drop somebody off there's a minimum charge of £2". It appears that they charge taxis £2 as well. They were pretty unpleasant about it.

Of all the pathetic catchpenny schemes perpetrated by airlines and airports, this one has to be the worst I've ever seen. Leeds Bradford have always been keener than most on finding ways to squeeze every last penny out of their customers - for example they take exception if your plastic bag for toiletries is 1 cm too long and insist on you spending £3(!!!) to buy one of theirs from a vending machine - but this takes the biscuit.

So be prepared!

Dave101t

airports in car park charge shock horror.

Helen1971

I wasn't parking. I was dropping off.

coldcazzie

Yes they brought this charge in last year sometime. It's ridiculous isn't it.

McKneff

Was it easier to pay the £2 and drop off or drop him off at the perimeter of the airport and make him walk with all his luggage.

It probably was.

I sympathise with you but maybe the above will make you feel a little better about it.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where the ethos is:-

Get as much money out of as many people as we can in the shortest possible time.

George_Michael

Dave101t wrote: »

airports in car park charge shock horror.

Which car park would that be then?
If you were to pull up on a road to drop someone off or pick someone up, I assume that you wouldn't mind paying for this.

car park noun ( AREA )

n [C] UK


Definition


(US parking lot) an area of ground for parking cars





(Definition of car park noun (AREA) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

zax47

Since you can't actually get near the terminal in a car anymore at LBA, there's little choice but to drop folks off for free on the access roads and make them walk on the road among the traffic to get to the terminal (no footpaths!!) or do what they want and go via the "drop off" zone in the short-stay car park which entails paying the minimum exit fee of £2 (used to be first 10 minutes were free - not any more). They also sold off the entire site taxi rights to one company ("a monopoly" in all but name) and charge all other taxis the same £2 fee to drop off/ pick up passengers, albiet via a monthly pre-paid/charge card.

Nothing short of bandits the folks running LBA now - and I'm about 1/2 mile away!!

Since the 3 local councils that owned it sold it off, the new owners have levied new charge after new charge - as someone said previously, it's £3 for a crappy placcy bag from their rip-off vending machines if you don't have your own, or more's the point, one they deem "correct" - ker-ching!!

YorkshireTraveller

It's not ideal, but at LBA you can drop off passengers for free at the long term car park from where they can take the shuttle bus to the terminal.

see: http://www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk/parking/car-park-tariffs

right at the bottom of the page.

Hope this helps for next time!

Handsome90

I know it's outrageous. But we have no other option other than to pay them. On the bright side, your husband wasn't charge for using the terminal .
See this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsnC70QSRtU&feature=related

Quat

I'm not a fan of the charges, but I'm surprised you managed to enter the drop off area without realising there was a fee to pay.

When you arrived, you will have passed through one of these barriers where the charges are clearly stated:



And a close up of the sign, the charges really aren't exactly being kept secret:

aldredd

Oh they're picking up tips from Luton airport I see - this airport is the Ryan Air of airports. (Although 'only' £1 to drop off)
They also charge £2 for USING a luggage trolley - as in, you don't get this back! Plus 50p if you want to use the public scales to weigh their luggage, and £2 (I think) for a clear plastic bag (though most people should know to bring their own)