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Don't get stung like we did
vicker
Posts: 201 Forumite
Cautionary tale.
As an MSE user for years, I'm shocked that hubby got charged £25 for an 18 minute wait collecting me at Stansted last night.
He's always collected & dropped me to Gatwick/Heathrow. No drop off charges there.
I got public transport to Stansted. We had no idea pick up charges even existed at some airports, so didn't bother to read up about them as I didn't know what I didn't know.
Hubby didn't realise the charges existed until he drove into the site, by then he was stung to pay as his car reg had been captured. He left the nearby free parking spot after I landed, as normal. Passport control was heaving at 11.30pm & such poor signage for foreign visitors meant lots of confusion in the queue. So it took longer than expected to clear. Hubby read online while he was waiting for me that leaving within the £4 charge of 10 minutes & re-entering would mean a further £20 payment. So he was stuck.
So just putting it out there for those of you like me who didn't know. There are alternatives, and a great MSE article on it. Be prepared, unlike us.
As an MSE user for years, I'm shocked that hubby got charged £25 for an 18 minute wait collecting me at Stansted last night.
He's always collected & dropped me to Gatwick/Heathrow. No drop off charges there.
I got public transport to Stansted. We had no idea pick up charges even existed at some airports, so didn't bother to read up about them as I didn't know what I didn't know.
Hubby didn't realise the charges existed until he drove into the site, by then he was stung to pay as his car reg had been captured. He left the nearby free parking spot after I landed, as normal. Passport control was heaving at 11.30pm & such poor signage for foreign visitors meant lots of confusion in the queue. So it took longer than expected to clear. Hubby read online while he was waiting for me that leaving within the £4 charge of 10 minutes & re-entering would mean a further £20 payment. So he was stuck.
So just putting it out there for those of you like me who didn't know. There are alternatives, and a great MSE article on it. Be prepared, unlike us.
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Comments
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https://www.stanstedairport.com/parking/pick-up-and-drop-off/
Why didn't you google "free pick up Stansted"?0 -
Good warning. Thank you.0
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https://www.stanstedairport.com/parking/pick-up-and-drop-off/
Why didn't you google "free pick up Stansted"?
Why didn't you read what I put?0 -
This is common, Heathrow must be the only airport that doesn’t charge a drop off fee0
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Free drop off is a rare beast these days. There is one at Birmingham airport for example, but it's then about a half mile walk to the terminal. Great fun if you have cases and it's tipping down with rain. Other than that it's £3 for a maximum of 10 minutes. It rockets up after that.0
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Lilythecat wrote: »This is common, Heathrow must be the only airport that doesn’t charge a drop off fee
It is common and there has been publicity about it but not everyone travels frequently or gets collected often so I think OP was helpful in pointing it out.
We often have novice travellers posting on here, sometimes for their first holiday abroad so it's good to alert people to this extra potential cost IMO.
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Lilythecat wrote: »This is common, Heathrow must be the only airport that doesn’t charge a drop off fee
Gatwick doesn't charge either.0 -
It's now £3 for 15 minutes at the Brirmingham "premium" drop-off car park opposite departures. Free for 30 minutes at the further away drop-off carpark which is a good 10 minute walk. The path is covered, but you do of course have to get across the car park to it in the pouring rain with your luggage. In both car parks it's an eye-watering £1 per minute (in increments of 5 minutes) after the first period.Free drop off is a rare beast these days. There is one at Birmingham airport for example, but it's then about a half mile walk to the terminal. Great fun if you have cases and it's tipping down with rain. Other than that it's £3 for a maximum of 10 minutes. It rockets up after that.
The problem is picking up, as in the OP's case. Local taxis know where they can wait off site if they've been booked for a pickup. They then wait for you to call or message them once you've got your luggage, and they meet you in the premium drop-off car park. That's my experience anyway.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the In My Home MoneySaving, Energy and Techie Stuff boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
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Cardiff is still free for 10 mins for drop-off a and pick-ups.0
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Lilythecat wrote: »This is common, Heathrow must be the only airport that doesn’t charge a drop off fee
The OP is talking about pickup, *not* dropoff...The questions that get the best answers are the questions that give most detail....0
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