The fee to drop off someone at three of the Greater London area’s six main airports has risen this month.
At the start of the year, London Heathrow raised its drop-off fee from £6 to £7. It also introduced a 10-minute maximum stay for drivers in its kiss-and-fly zones.
As of January 6, Gatwick Airport significantly raised its drop-off fee from £7 to £10 for 10 minutes. After the 10-minute mark, the airport charges £1 per additional minute, up to 20 minutes. The maximum time a person is allotted daily is 30 minutes, and the fee is capped at £30.
That same day, London City Airport introduced a drop-off fee, its first, for those pulling into a kiss-and-fly zone. The charge is £8.00 for under 5 minutes and an additional £1 per minute up to 10 minutes. Visitors are allowed a maximum of 10 minutes in the flight hub’s drop-off zone, and a strictly applied £60 to £100 enforcement charge will be slapped on drivers who linger.
What Else Is There To Know About Traveling From London?
Drivers who incur drop-off fees at Heathrow, Gatwick, or London City must pay the charges by midnight the day after. Fees incurred at Gatwick or Heathrow can be paid online or over the phone. Drivers who need to pay London City’s drop-off fees should do so online. If visitors at the latter East London-based flight hub are unable to pay online, they’ll need to contact APCOA Customer Service by email or phone.
The airports warn that failure to pay drop-off fees on time will result in sending the driver a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) – aka a penalty notice – and possibly further fines and debt collection measures. Drivers can appeal drop-off fees at Gatwick, London City, and Heathrow if they deem it necessary.
Notably, though not in or around London, Bristol Airport has also raised its drop-off fee this year. At Bristol Airport, dropping off and saying goodbye to a jet-setter is no longer £7. It now costs between £8.50 and £60.
