THE last major airport in the UK to allow free drop offs is set to scrap them completely.
London City Airport has said that it will bring in a fee for passenger drop offs “by the end of the year”.
According to bosses of the airport, the charge will help support sustainable transport goals.
The airport told The Independent: “The charge will help London City meet its wider sustainability goals by reducing the number of vehicles travelling to and from the airport, supporting efforts to lower congestion, reduce emissions and improve air quality in the surrounding area.”
Currently, 70 per cent of passengers at London City Airport use public transport to reach the airport – which includes the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).
Only 10 per cent of passengers then arrive by car – and around 14 per cent use taxis, minicabs or Ubers.
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Whilst a date or cost for the new charge hasn’t been revealed yet, other airports in the UK have fees of £6 to £7.
Blue badge holders will be exempt from the charge.
Rod Dennis, the RAC‘s senior policy advisor, added that for drivers this will be an “unwelcome watershed moment”.
He added: “Compared to many, London City has excellent public transport connections so arguably most people dropping off are only those that really need to.”
He also explained that this isn’t the usual practice elsewhere in Europe, with eight of the top 10 European airports still allowing drivers to drop off travellers for free.
Airports that have introduced a fee usually have a designated area to drop off passengers.
And they also normally have other ways of getting into the airport where you aren’t charged.
For example, via taking a shuttle bus or using walkways to get to the terminal.
However, this might not be introduced at London City Airport as there is limited space.
In terms of other London airports, Heathrow introduced a drop off fee of £6 back in 2021.
London Gatwick Airport also introduced its fee in 2021, but in comparison, it costs £7 for 10 minutes and then an additional £1 for each minute thereafter, up to 20 minutes.
The maximum daily charge is £27.
In 2009, London Luton Airport introduced a similar process with the first 10 minutes costing £7 and then each minute thereafter being an additional £1.
There is a maximum stay of 30 minutes.
London Stansted Airport introduced its fee in 2012 and drivers pay £7 for 15 minutes, or £25 for drop offs over 15 minutes.
Southend Airport was the latest airport to introduce a fee which took place over the summer and costs £7.
In other airport news, Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey’s local airport was recently named the best in the UK – it beats London Heathrow and City by miles.
Plus, these are the best and worst airports in the UK – with a regional airport coming in number one.