MSE News: Airports now charging up to £4.50 for a 10-min drop-off - how to beat 'kiss and fly' fees

jackieblack

aj23 wrote: »

Stansted Airport, you can either drive up onto the terminal ramp and pay, or you can drop people off in the Free Set Down area at the entrance of long stay parking which is a 2 minute bus ride away.

Or park free for an hour in the mid-stay car park and the free bus takes 5 minutes - useful for picking up, not just dropping off

aj23_2

jackieblack wrote: »

Or park free for an hour in the mid-stay car park and the free bus takes 5 minutes - useful for picking up, not just dropping off

I've been picked up and dropped off in the Free Set Down Area at Stansted. It's not just for dropping off.

jackieblack

aj23 wrote: »

I've been picked up and dropped off in the Free Set Down Area at Stansted. It's not just for dropping off.

Oh no, I realise that, but having a hour's free parking gives more flexibility and you're less rushed

Nick_C

aj23 wrote: »

Stansted Airport, you can either drive up onto the terminal ramp and pay, or you can drop people off in the Free Set Down area at the entrance of long stay parking which is a 2 minute bus ride away.

People just seem willing to throw away money.

To quote from Stansted's web site "We offer a free pick up and drop off option from a dedicated area in the Mid Stay Car Park. Just a 5 minute courtesy bus ride away from the terminal forecourt (buses run every 10 minutes)."

So if you try to use the free facility, it might add 15 minutes to your journey time (5 minute bus ride and 10 minutes waiting time). Plus you will have to handle your luggage on and off the bus. And if you picking up, you have the time from the bus stop to your car, and it might be cold or wet.

Its not throwing money away. Its choosing to pay more for a faster and better option.

benjus

aj23 wrote: »

Stansted Airport, you can either drive up onto the terminal ramp and pay, or you can drop people off in the Free Set Down area at the entrance of long stay parking which is a 2 minute bus ride away.

People just seem willing to throw away money.

Let's be realistic - the bus from the long stay car park to the terminal at Stansted is NOT 2 minutes. It takes about that long just for the bus to get through the entry gates to the terminal area. And you may be waiting for 15 minutes or so for a bus to show up.

If you're running a bit late or you have lots of luggage it's not a great option.

aj23_2

Nick_C wrote: »

To quote from Stansted's web site "We offer a free pick up and drop off option from a dedicated area in the Mid Stay Car Park. Just a 5 minute courtesy bus ride away from the terminal forecourt (buses run every 10 minutes)."

So if you try to use the free facility, it might add 15 minutes to your journey time (5 minute bus ride and 10 minutes waiting time). Plus you will have to handle your luggage on and off the bus. And if you picking up, you have the time from the bus stop to your car, and it might be cold or wet.

Its not throwing money away. Its choosing to pay more for a faster and better option.

But if you're being dropped off or picked up, I don't see how it's not better, considering it's most likely not the person being dropped off or picked up who will have to pay.

It's not 15 minutes, it's under 5 minutes. I live down the road and have used it many, many times.

Cold, wet blah! Doesn't make a difference. Up on the ramp, you have to pay and you only get up to 10 minutes. If you're longer, you get fined.

It's definitely throwing money away. Just leave 10 minutes earlier. I've dropped off/picked up and also been dropped off/picked up in the free set down, and it's never been an issue with anyone. I'd rather save my lift the money.

Nick_C

aj23 wrote: »

Up on the ramp, you have to pay and you only get up to 10 minutes. If you're longer, you get fined.

Indeed. But I've used the Stansted facility many many times, and never needed more than 5 minutes, so I've not been fined.

aj23 wrote: »

It's definitely throwing money away.

Its paying a charge for an optional service. For us, its a service worth paying for.

aj23 wrote: »

I'd rather save my lift the money.

Well, we are all different, and we are all free to chose how to spend our money, thank goodness.

HornetSaver

The fact that this has been posted on the overseas board somewhat weakens my point, but when I first saw the headline to the article my off-the-cuff reaction was "staycation".

But on a related point I've done a drop-off at Luton airport before (didn't know about the mid-term car park freebie trick), and got pretty close to the 10-minute mark because there was no signage at all suggesting where to pay. Obviously the logical assumption is pay at exit, as indeed was the case (not that the way to the exit was clearly marked either), but when you're under that sort of time pressure and are aware of a £1 per minute charge you don't always think rationally. My thought process at the time was somewhere along the lines of "if I don't pay within 10 minutes I'll get charged the full whack, got to be sure it's definitely not before the exit".

Hodgie

When we use BHX we get dropped off at Birmingham International railway station.
There's a free 20 mins (more if you someone is sitting in the car); there's also an escalator to get to the first floor and an air-rail link that drops you in the airport.
The air-rail link shuts down in the early hours but it can be called using the labelled button.
We never use the drop-off car park.

aj23_2

Nick_C wrote: »

Indeed. But I've used the Stansted facility many many times, and never needed more than 5 minutes, so I've not been fined.



Its paying a charge for an optional service. For us, its a service worth paying for.



Well, we are all different, and we are all free to chose how to spend our money, thank goodness.

You haven't been fined, but if it's busy (often is), 10 minutes goes very quick. Having to clock watch is never fun. I bet many have been fined for being 11 or 12 minutes.

We are all free to choose how we spend it, I don't just see the point in paying for something which is available for free. People seem to be too time poor now for the sake of an extra 10 minutes.