Airport drop off charges

mahjmp

It’s probably a bit late to be complaining about the ripoff abilities of UK airports to charge us ever increasing fees to drop passengers off. A quick scan of ParisCdeG, Frankfurt, Brussels and Milan airports all show free drop off facility, often up to 10minutes. Why on earth do we put up with this rampant abuse of ‘free enterprise’ in this country? 

eskbanker

Seems to be an entirely rhetorical question to round off the rant, so perhaps better posted at:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/praise-vent-warnings

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Manchester airport has a free drop off, albeit a short (free) minibus drive away from the airport.

What they don't seem to offer is the equivalent for pick ups.  The free drop off is explicitly for drop offs only.

bagand96

Birmingham has a free drop off area a short walk from the terminal

Gatwick has free drop off areas in long stay car parks 

Heathrow has free drop off at the long stay car parks 

Cardiff has free drop off outside the terminal 

Bristol has free drop off some distance from the terminal with a bus transfer 

Newcastle has free drop off in the short stay car park 

Edinburgh has free drop off in the long stay car park with a walk to the terminal 

With the exception of Cardiff, all of those airports have do offer a paid drop off area much nearer to the terminal than the free option. 

Reasons behind such charges lie in the direction the industry has taken in the last 30 years or so, mainly the rise of the low cost airline model aided by the internet.  Up until the 1990s an airport set out it’s landing, handling, aircraft parking charges etc and an airline paid those to use that airport. And that’s how an airport covered it’s costs, and even made a profit.  That all changed with the low cost model where airlines drove a very hard bargain on airport fees, and often even wanted subsidies to fly to an airport.  Airports had to reinvent their business model. 

Most airports these days make far more money out of being a shopping centre and car park than they do out of being a runway. Hence the extra “ancillary revenue streams”

DullGreyGuy

bagand96 said:

Most airports these days make far more money out of being a shopping centre and car park than they do out of being a runway. Hence the extra “ancillary revenue streams”

So whats different in continental europe where airports dont charge? 

Bicycleman22

If you can afford to go away you can afford to pay a charge for drop off. Alternatively use a train or bus ..... .

bagand96

DullGreyGuy said:

bagand96 said:

Most airports these days make far more money out of being a shopping centre and car park than they do out of being a runway. Hence the extra “ancillary revenue streams”

So whats different in continental europe where airports dont charge? 

Not really sure. I'd guess its a mix of different attitudes in Europe where airports are still seen as a public facility, and maybe the Europeans wouldn't put up with it.

Of the airports in Europe the OP listed all but one are still majority owned by either local or national government (like Cardiff!) which may influence things. That said a few of our airports still have good shareholdings by local councils. 

prowla

They are a rip-off; a way of gouging a bit extra cash off their customers.

Heathrow have even managed to add an extra 30p to their pickup charge, so it's £5.30, as you have to go into the car park to pick up and its minimum charge is £5.30.

Bicycleman22 said:

If you can afford to go away you can afford to pay a charge for drop off. Alternatively use a train or bus ..... .

Try catching a train or bus at 11:30 at night...

Bicycleman22

Try catching a train or bus at 11:30 at night...

The only airport I have checked about this is Manchester Airport. This was copied from the Manchester Airport  website...

The first train to depart from the airport to Manchester City Centre is at 04:12 although, Manchester Airport Train Station has strong connections around the UK so the first train time departure is dependant on destination. 

The last train service departing Manchester Airport leaves at 01:34am and travels to Manchester Piccadilly.

As for the bus again from the Manchester Airport website ..........

Manchester Airport is linked to the city centre by a 24-hour Stagecoach bus service.

DullGreyGuy

prowla said:

Try catching a train or bus at 11:30 at night...

Depends where you are going to... admittedly not from an airport but I regularly catch a bus at 23:30 or later

zagfles

Bicycleman22 said:

Try catching a train or bus at 11:30 at night...

The only airport I have checked about this is Manchester Airport. This was copied from the Manchester Airport  website...

The first train to depart from the airport to Manchester City Centre is at 04:12 although, Manchester Airport Train Station has strong connections around the UK so the first train time departure is dependant on destination. 

The last train service departing Manchester Airport leaves at 01:34am and travels to Manchester Piccadilly.

As for the bus again from the Manchester Airport website ..........

Manchester Airport is linked to the city centre by a 24-hour Stagecoach bus service.

So you can get into Manchester city centre at most hours. Great if that's where you live, but most people will need an onward connection to somewhere else. Reality is most people are unlikely to be able to get home by PT if their flight arrives at 23:30, at whatever airport, without waiting around most of the night.