Rip-off pricing

[DeskJockey]

At Gatwick. It is obscene what they're charging for pickup and drop-off. Went to collect my mate on Friday, total time between the entry and exit barriers was seven minutes, including being stationary for about three of them. £5.

Dropped him off again this morning. Total time in the "zone" four minutes (as evidenced by the details on the receipt I've just had emailed through), £5.

I get that they don't want people to use the express zones to avoid paying for parking, but still, £5 for 10 minutes (if you stay longer than that price goes up) is taking the p*ss.

[Rich B]

They'll be getting more than that from the pet taxi companies (judging from the £60 I was quoted to go 7 miles from Heathrow) or the mega expensive parking, so they want their pound of flesh somehow.

Most just factor it into the cost of travelling - it's only a £5 after you've just paid £xxx after all...

[Broccers]

It's not the cost but the principal. You're dropping or picking up airport customers so shouldn't be penalised. Its like a restraunt charging to park you just wouldn't go if there's an alternative.

[DeskJockey]

I don't think the restaurant analogy works unless it is their parking lot and even then I see the point. I guess it boils down to not being able to trust that people will use the facilities as intended (and having worked in an airport that had free drop-off/pickup points the abuse was endemic). Still, they could make it free to use and issue penalty notices for anyone going over the allotted time. Not hard. But would obviously cost them easy revenue.

[mik]

It's not the cost but the principal.

That.

“Hi - welcome to Disneyland it’s £70 each for a day ticket. Now - if you want to skydive in, there is a completely free drop field about 3/4mile away. You can also access through The Walkway. It’s £20 per person, but only £19.50 per child. Oh you have a wheelchair user too? No problem - they can use The Rollway for only £30”

[Simon]

As a local they sent through notice about this over a year ago. I used to drop the wife off at Gatwick every Saturday as we (Horley, 0.5 mile away) lost our direct trains to London on a weekend so Gatwick was the only way to get a direct train in. Now they started charging for drop off even for the captive market of us locals who use it as our main station. The only way for us to get a free pass is to prove that we're not on a bus route (which we are, but it's irrelevant when it adds 30 minutes to the journey and is only every 30 minutes outside of peak).

The way around it for us now is to use a local road that I know that gives us a footpath into the airport. Any airport charging for drop off is taking the piss. They used the 'Covid' (lost revenue) excuse but the truth is that they'd have done it anyway. They just want more money.

[Rich B]

It's not the cost but the principal. You're dropping or picking up airport customers so shouldn't be penalised. Its like a restraunt charging to park you just wouldn't go if there's an alternative.

there isn't an alternative and dropping off/picking up costs then money in lost taxi kick backs, so it's hardly surprising they charge. It doesn't make it any less cunty, but hey - that's business

[Swervin_Mervin]

It's £5 for 5 mins at Manchester. MAG are experts though when it comes to maximising cash extraction from anyone passing within half a mile of the place.