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Airport drop-offs

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  • Gribbo
    Gribbo Posts: 8,667
    Shag said:
    It’s a joke 
    £10, a 43% increase, you’re not there for more than 2/3 minutes, and you’re not exactly paying for any sort of service 


    Think its more to do with these companies following the government's lead and using policy to take the piss and pull Joe / Josephine Bloggs' pants down.

    Strong feeling that part of their reasoning will no doubt be to discourage people from driving and encourage them to take the train or coach to the airport, but then they introduce a charge that would stop it overnight, as opposed to what they charge now - which they know people will pay.

    The way supermarkets capitalised on the war on plastic is another example: charging 20-odd pence for a plastic bag that probably costs less than a penny to produce. If you really wanted to cut down on plastic bags, just stop using them.
  • SporadicAddick
    SporadicAddick Posts: 6,996
    edited December 13
    CheshireAddick said:
    SporadicAddick said:
    CheshireAddick said:
    Stig said:
    stevexreeve said:
    carly burn said:

    So yet another already crazy charge that is set to increase.

    Screenshot_2025-12-12-15-20-39-442_comtwitterandroid-editjpg

    I'm telling you. The oxygen tax is just around the corner!!

    Not really a "tax" though.

    Just a business charging its customers for a service they find expensive to provide.
    It's worse than a tax, because there's no public benefit to it. Just ordinary people getting mugged of by corporations as ever.

    Why is it more expensive here than anywhere else in Europe?

    Just like everything else I'm afraid. Just back from Malaga. The cost of virtually everything there is far less than rip-off Britain.
    Different economies have different costs. Food in Delhi is much cheaper then in Malaga. Does that make Malaga a rip-off?
    I see Spain, France, Germany etc as similar economies to the UK, I don't see India as being a similar economy at all.
    OK. Portugal is next to Spain. Most things (food, drink, utilities, property) are cheaper in Portugal than Spain. Is Spain a rip off? Things in Germany are more expensive than Spain. Is Germany ripping people off?

    Or do different economies have different costs?

    or more locally…

    a plasterer’s day rate in Wiltshire is much lower than a plasterer’s day rate in London.

    are London plasterers ripping off Londoners?
  • Off_it
    Off_it Posts: 29,023
    edited December 13
    Imagine charging customers extra for them to do something you actually want them to do - like buy a ticket to your football match on the day of the game.
  • CaptainRobbo
    CaptainRobbo Posts: 838
    It'd be like the rail companies actually charging you to enter the station before you even get on a train.
    Surely the cost of any upkeep to structures etc. is already passed onto customer's in the ticket price.
    Just greed, pure and simple. 💰💰💰
  • cantersaddick
    cantersaddick Posts: 17,414
    CheshireAddick said:
    SporadicAddick said:
    CheshireAddick said:
    Stig said:
    stevexreeve said:
    carly burn said:

    So yet another already crazy charge that is set to increase.

    Screenshot_2025-12-12-15-20-39-442_comtwitterandroid-editjpg

    I'm telling you. The oxygen tax is just around the corner!!

    Not really a "tax" though.

    Just a business charging its customers for a service they find expensive to provide.
    It's worse than a tax, because there's no public benefit to it. Just ordinary people getting mugged of by corporations as ever.

    Why is it more expensive here than anywhere else in Europe?

    Just like everything else I'm afraid. Just back from Malaga. The cost of virtually everything there is far less than rip-off Britain.
    Different economies have different costs. Food in Delhi is much cheaper then in Malaga. Does that make Malaga a rip-off?
    I see Spain, France, Germany etc as similar economies to the UK, I don't see India as being a similar economy at all.
    To a certain extent yes I agree. There is one important distinction that people often miss when comparing us with European economies. Particularly when it comes to large multinational companies - we have vastly different regulatory frameworks. Almost every country has something in law that aims to limit the power of these large MNC's or prevent the power getting out of control. Whether it be the "employee on the board" law where certain levels of employees by law sit on the board with the sole responsibility of ensuring the company is still a going concern in 15-20 years, laws around paying dividends whilst loading a company with debt, laws preventing private equity from separating assets from operations etc. By limiting the power and influence of these MNC's you prevent this kind of rent seeking.
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,276
    Algarveaddick said:
    Gribbo said:
    Gonna buck the trend here and say that I agree with this charge - although agree a tenner is steep - but a charge and time limit does help stop selfish people, many of whom are private hire drivers, sitting in the drop-off areas waiting for their passengers for ages, preventing others from using it for what it is intended - a quick drop-off / pick-up. I personally do collect fares from the drop-off areas, but I wait until they're physically in the drop-off area before swinging round to pick them up. Heathrow T3 drop-off, there obviously is a charge, but no camera on exit (yet), meaning there's no time limit,  so they do it there. Once they've paid their £6, they want their moneys worth and sit there for farkin ages
    So do like they do elsewhere (including Faro) up to 10 minutes free, then you pay. 
    Exactly this. (15 mins at Prague). 
  • CaptainRobbo
    CaptainRobbo Posts: 838
    And when you actually get on a plane, you get stung again with "Resort Tax" or "Tourist Tax"
    What a load of Bollocks!
  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 27,096
    CaptainRobbo said:
    And when you actually get on a plane, you get stung again with "Resort Tax" or "Tourist Tax"
    What a load of Bollocks!
    Just don’t go then if you are so against a tourist tax at your destination 
  • CaptainRobbo
    CaptainRobbo Posts: 838
    MrOneLung said:
    CaptainRobbo said:
    And when you actually get on a plane, you get stung again with "Resort Tax" or "Tourist Tax"
    What a load of Bollocks!
    Just don’t go then if you are so against a tourist tax at your destination 
    Just stick it on the price of air fair or hotel room, so you don't know you are being fucked over twice
  • CaptainRobbo
    CaptainRobbo Posts: 838
    MrOneLung said:
    CaptainRobbo said:
    And when you actually get on a plane, you get stung again with "Resort Tax" or "Tourist Tax"
    What a load of Bollocks!
    Just don’t go then if you are so against a tourist tax at your destination 
    You are going to the destination to give their communities some much needed revenue already.
    If they don't want you there don't open hotels there, simples.

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  • Shag
    Shag Posts: 4,577
    Gribbo said:
    Shag said:
    It’s a joke 
    £10, a 43% increase, you’re not there for more than 2/3 minutes, and you’re not exactly paying for any sort of service 


    Think its more to do with these companies following the government's lead and using policy to take the piss and pull Joe / Josephine Bloggs' pants down.

    Strong feeling that part of their reasoning will no doubt be to discourage people from driving and encourage them to take the train or coach to the airport, but then they introduce a charge that would stop it overnight, as opposed to what they charge now - which they know people will pay.

    The way supermarkets capitalised on the war on plastic is another example: charging 20-odd pence for a plastic bag that probably costs less than a penny to produce. If you really wanted to cut down on plastic bags, just stop using them.
    I don’t think it’s anything to do with discouraging people to drive at all, it’s pure money greed
    they must make a shitload from it plus the extortionate car parking prices
    who wants to chance the unreliable train service with a load of luggage anyway
    the drop off charge started after Covid as they tried to recuperate their losses from that and it’s doubled since then 

  • Chunes
    Chunes Posts: 17,599
    edited December 13
    Gatwick only reported a profit of £342.9 million last year, up 8.9% from the year before. They've got to make money from somewhere. 
  • Chunes
    Chunes Posts: 17,599
    I'm seriously starting to wonder if privatisation and foreign ownership is stealth sabotage. What would Saudi Arabia, China, etc.. and these countries that have bought up our infrastructure have to benefit from taking driving up the prices, while not reinvesting in the infrastructure itself? Everything. Massive profits and the degradation of a major Western country.
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,079
    charltonnick said:
    Picked my son up from Gatwick a couple of weeks ago. Completely forgot to pay the charge and had to pay a £60 fine for a 5 minute drop off.  :/
    Is it enforceable?
  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,831
    • Gatwick Airport's Owners: French company Vinci and investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners are funding the entire expansion. 
    Using the public to fund the expansion of Gatwick Airport. 
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,358
    SporadicAddick said:
    CheshireAddick said:
    SporadicAddick said:
    CheshireAddick said:
    Stig said:
    stevexreeve said:
    carly burn said:

    So yet another already crazy charge that is set to increase.

    Screenshot_2025-12-12-15-20-39-442_comtwitterandroid-editjpg

    I'm telling you. The oxygen tax is just around the corner!!

    Not really a "tax" though.

    Just a business charging its customers for a service they find expensive to provide.
    It's worse than a tax, because there's no public benefit to it. Just ordinary people getting mugged of by corporations as ever.

    Why is it more expensive here than anywhere else in Europe?

    Just like everything else I'm afraid. Just back from Malaga. The cost of virtually everything there is far less than rip-off Britain.
    Different economies have different costs. Food in Delhi is much cheaper then in Malaga. Does that make Malaga a rip-off?
    I see Spain, France, Germany etc as similar economies to the UK, I don't see India as being a similar economy at all.
    OK. Portugal is next to Spain. Most things (food, drink, utilities, property) are cheaper in Portugal than Spain. Is Spain a rip off? Things in Germany are more expensive than Spain. Is Germany ripping people off?

    Or do different economies have different costs?

    or more locally…

    a plasterer’s day rate in Wiltshire is much lower than a plasterer’s day rate in London.

    are London plasterers ripping off Londoners?
    Property prices in resorts in Spain are not cheaper than Portugal. Petrol is more expensive in Portugal. As I write I am in Valencia, restaurants here are not dearer than Portugal. Don’t know about utilities. I do know that ten quid to stop by a kerb is a rip off. 
  • Gribbo
    Gribbo Posts: 8,667
    Shag said:
    Gribbo said:
    Shag said:
    It’s a joke 
    £10, a 43% increase, you’re not there for more than 2/3 minutes, and you’re not exactly paying for any sort of service 


    Think its more to do with these companies following the government's lead and using policy to take the piss and pull Joe / Josephine Bloggs' pants down.

    Strong feeling that part of their reasoning will no doubt be to discourage people from driving and encourage them to take the train or coach to the airport, but then they introduce a charge that would stop it overnight, as opposed to what they charge now - which they know people will pay.

    The way supermarkets capitalised on the war on plastic is another example: charging 20-odd pence for a plastic bag that probably costs less than a penny to produce. If you really wanted to cut down on plastic bags, just stop using them.
    I don’t think it’s anything to do with discouraging people to drive at all, it’s pure money greed
    they must make a shitload from it plus the extortionate car parking prices
    who wants to chance the unreliable train service with a load of luggage anyway
    the drop off charge started after Covid as they tried to recuperate their losses from that and it’s doubled since then 

    I know mate, I agree. It’s more than likely another chance to pull our pants down under the guise of trying to save the planet. Kind of ironic that its an airport doing it lol. A bit like a few of the world leaders all jetting off to the Amazon rain forest for a climate change conference.... 

    That aside, people did take the piss waiting at the drop-off areas at all airports, although they don’t really need to charge for the first 10 minutes or so…
  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,831
    Gribbo said:
    Shag said:
    Gribbo said:
    Shag said:
    It’s a joke 
    £10, a 43% increase, you’re not there for more than 2/3 minutes, and you’re not exactly paying for any sort of service 


    Think its more to do with these companies following the government's lead and using policy to take the piss and pull Joe / Josephine Bloggs' pants down.

    Strong feeling that part of their reasoning will no doubt be to discourage people from driving and encourage them to take the train or coach to the airport, but then they introduce a charge that would stop it overnight, as opposed to what they charge now - which they know people will pay.

    The way supermarkets capitalised on the war on plastic is another example: charging 20-odd pence for a plastic bag that probably costs less than a penny to produce. If you really wanted to cut down on plastic bags, just stop using them.
    I don’t think it’s anything to do with discouraging people to drive at all, it’s pure money greed
    they must make a shitload from it plus the extortionate car parking prices
    who wants to chance the unreliable train service with a load of luggage anyway
    the drop off charge started after Covid as they tried to recuperate their losses from that and it’s doubled since then 

    I know mate, I agree. It’s more than likely another chance to pull our pants down under the guise of trying to save the planet. Kind of ironic that its an airport doing it lol. A bit like a few of the world leaders all jetting off to the Amazon rain forest for a climate change conference.... 

    That aside, people did take the piss waiting at the drop-off areas at all airports, although they don’t really need to charge for the first 10 minutes or so…
    It's nothing to do with saving the planet. If they were serious about doing that, they wouldn't be expanding the airport with another runway. Far more likely than they need the funds to pay for the expansion.
  • addix
    addix Posts: 1,208
    I used to get a cab to Gatwick but with it costing north of £80 now, I get a tram and train instead.  

    Train only takes 18 minutes from East Croydon and costs £7-£8.  Can appreciate that's not an easy option for many with kids and suitcases etc, and the £10 fee is extortionate, but works for me, and if I'm on one of the 6am flights I book a Travelodge or Premier Inn room at the airport for the night before and still save money on the cab & drop off fare.  

    Leaves me plenty of time to walk round WHSmiths muttering 'Who tf pays £10 for a Toblerone???' before going to the 'Spoons and paying £7.50 for a pint.  Captive market.
  • Gribbo
    Gribbo Posts: 8,667
    ME14addick said:
    Gribbo said:
    Shag said:
    Gribbo said:
    Shag said:
    It’s a joke 
    £10, a 43% increase, you’re not there for more than 2/3 minutes, and you’re not exactly paying for any sort of service 


    Think its more to do with these companies following the government's lead and using policy to take the piss and pull Joe / Josephine Bloggs' pants down.

    Strong feeling that part of their reasoning will no doubt be to discourage people from driving and encourage them to take the train or coach to the airport, but then they introduce a charge that would stop it overnight, as opposed to what they charge now - which they know people will pay.

    The way supermarkets capitalised on the war on plastic is another example: charging 20-odd pence for a plastic bag that probably costs less than a penny to produce. If you really wanted to cut down on plastic bags, just stop using them.
    I don’t think it’s anything to do with discouraging people to drive at all, it’s pure money greed
    they must make a shitload from it plus the extortionate car parking prices
    who wants to chance the unreliable train service with a load of luggage anyway
    the drop off charge started after Covid as they tried to recuperate their losses from that and it’s doubled since then 

    I know mate, I agree. It’s more than likely another chance to pull our pants down under the guise of trying to save the planet. Kind of ironic that its an airport doing it lol. A bit like a few of the world leaders all jetting off to the Amazon rain forest for a climate change conference.... 

    That aside, people did take the piss waiting at the drop-off areas at all airports, although they don’t really need to charge for the first 10 minutes or so…
    It's nothing to do with saving the planet. If they were serious about doing that, they wouldn't be expanding the airport with another runway. Far more likely than they need the funds to pay for the expansion.
    I know its not down to that in reality. I'm just saying that I wouldn't be surprised if they put it down to that - even while building an extra runway.



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  • SporadicAddick
    SporadicAddick Posts: 6,996
    edited December 13
    Algarveaddick said:
    SporadicAddick said:
    CheshireAddick said:
    SporadicAddick said:
    CheshireAddick said:
    Stig said:
    stevexreeve said:
    carly burn said:

    So yet another already crazy charge that is set to increase.

    Screenshot_2025-12-12-15-20-39-442_comtwitterandroid-editjpg

    I'm telling you. The oxygen tax is just around the corner!!

    Not really a "tax" though.

    Just a business charging its customers for a service they find expensive to provide.
    It's worse than a tax, because there's no public benefit to it. Just ordinary people getting mugged of by corporations as ever.

    Why is it more expensive here than anywhere else in Europe?

    Just like everything else I'm afraid. Just back from Malaga. The cost of virtually everything there is far less than rip-off Britain.
    Different economies have different costs. Food in Delhi is much cheaper then in Malaga. Does that make Malaga a rip-off?
    I see Spain, France, Germany etc as similar economies to the UK, I don't see India as being a similar economy at all.
    OK. Portugal is next to Spain. Most things (food, drink, utilities, property) are cheaper in Portugal than Spain. Is Spain a rip off? Things in Germany are more expensive than Spain. Is Germany ripping people off?

    Or do different economies have different costs?

    or more locally…

    a plasterer’s day rate in Wiltshire is much lower than a plasterer’s day rate in London.

    are London plasterers ripping off Londoners?
    Property prices in resorts in Spain are not cheaper than Portugal. Petrol is more expensive in Portugal. As I write I am in Valencia, restaurants here are not dearer than Portugal. Don’t know about utilities. I do know that ten quid to stop by a kerb is a rip off. 
    I appreciate you know Portugal (and very probably Spain) better than me - my observation was based on multiple visits to both, though I have lived in neither.

    That said, any google search of "cost of food Portugal v Spain", "is it cheaper to drink in Portugal or Spain", "cost of living Portugal v Spain", "pricing indices Portugal v Spain", "property prices Portugal v Spain" etc. etc. , show a pretty one sided view. It appears Portugal spikes in certain categories (e.g. petrol) but in the round Portugal is statistically a cheaper place to live than Spain, and Spain is cheaper than Germany, and Germany is cheaper than the UK.   

    My point was rather that a UK citizen saying UK is a rip off because prices are cheaper in other countries isn't comparing like for like. 

    Aside from that, I agree £10 to drop off at Gatwick is a piss take. 
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,276
    Chunes said:
    I'm seriously starting to wonder if privatisation and foreign ownership is stealth sabotage. What would Saudi Arabia, China, etc.. and these countries that have bought up our infrastructure have to benefit from taking driving up the prices, while not reinvesting in the infrastructure itself? Everything. Massive profits and the degradation of a major Western country.
    It may not be quite as planned as you suggest, but it is down to Thatcher and her acolytes that we have lost control of what other countries regard as strategic infra assets. Look at the Channel Tunnel link. HS1 is a private railway. It is only 45% full. Access charges are sky-high and the main shareholders are South Korean pensioners. The Tunnel itself is owned by a different private company, Getlink, which is French. Eurostar itself is also entirely French, and the worst kind of French too, the SNCF fat-cats. All of this is a result of  choices made by successive Tory governments. 

    I dont actually think that all airports should be run by the State directly. But there are various ways a State can retain levers it can pull to stop nonsense like this. But because for some reason the UK electorate never sees “transport “ as a big election issue, the swivel-eyed nutters are allowed to “let the market decide”. And that’s why you are all being ripped off. 
  • 1se7
    1se7 Posts: 602
    charltonnick said:
    Picked my son up from Gatwick a couple of weeks ago. Completely forgot to pay the charge and had to pay a £60 fine for a 5 minute drop off.  :/
    Please ….. if you’re ever picking up go in the short stay and pay whatever it costs . Don’t use the drop off 
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,358
    addix said:
    I used to get a cab to Gatwick but with it costing north of £80 now, I get a tram and train instead.  

    Train only takes 18 minutes from East Croydon and costs £7-£8.  Can appreciate that's not an easy option for many with kids and suitcases etc, and the £10 fee is extortionate, but works for me, and if I'm on one of the 6am flights I book a Travelodge or Premier Inn room at the airport for the night before and still save money on the cab & drop off fare.  

    Leaves me plenty of time to walk round WHSmiths muttering 'Who tf pays £10 for a Toblerone???' before going to the 'Spoons and paying £7.50 for a pint.  Captive market.
    We do exactly the same, apart from Spoons (the boycott continues) Hotel if it’s a stupidly early flight, if not it’s a bus, tram and train from Chislehurst, which costs about £20 for the two of us. 
  • JiMMy 85
    JiMMy 85 Posts: 10,220
    I spent a lot of time in the pick up/ drop off areas over the years waiting for lifts, and it was never, ever busy enough to justify what they've evolved it into.

    I used to live about 1.5 miles from the South Terminal. When the trains were fucked and I couldn't get to Horley, I would have to go to Gatwick. Minimum charge for a taxi was just under 10 quid (this is 10 years ago so I assume it's way more now). Buses weren't reliable and they stopped local cabs and Uber getting in there as much as possible so Gatwick Taxis had a monopoly on it.

    They're doing it because they can while knowing it won't affect the airport's passenger numbers. It can only make money and, apart from us complaining on a forum, there's no downside. The drop off area under Gatwick is massive and really easy to navigate and get in and out of. They originally made changes, I think, for anti-terrorism reasons (in the old days you drove up a ramp right up to the main entrance but they completely rebuilt it 15 years ago). And then kept going with more and more changes. It's secure as fuck down there now, so discouraging people from using it isn't the goal, it's just a profit chase. 

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