Grandad charged £25 for 18-second mistake while dropping family at airport
Eric Moffatt, 66, from Aigburth, was dropping his daughter and granddaughter off at Manchester Airport ahead of their flight to Dubai when he was hit with a £25 charge
Eric Moffatt had thought he was within the permitted time limit for a reduced parking fee, but to his shock he was considered over the limit by 18 seconds
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A grandfather claims he has been unjustly fined over an 18-second error. Eric Moffatt, 66, was dropping off his daughter and granddaughter at Manchester Airport on Friday, August 8, before their departure to Dubai, where they reside. This comes after private parking firms have been asked to 'come clean' over 'unfair' tickets.
Additionally, data released recently shows that private parking firms have issued an eye watering 14.4m tickets to drivers in the 12 months that led up to March 2025.
In February 2025, a man told WalesOnline how a parking ticket almost ruined his life despite paying.
Eric showing the airport parking fee notice that mentions his duration of stay was 10 minutes
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
In Eric's case, he left his family at the Manchester Airport Terminal 2 Drop Off area at 6.35am and then made his way to use the facilities inside the terminal, which required a "fair walk away" from the car park. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
He returned to the parking area, bid farewell to his family and departed the car park.
Under the current drop off parking regulations at T2, motorists are permitted to park for up to 10 minutes at a cost of £6.40, with any overage requiring a £25 payment. Motorists have until midnight the following day to settle the parking fee through the airport's website, which can be accessed here.
Departing the drop off area at 6.45am, Eric believed he had stayed within the 10-minute allowance, but upon returning home and logging online to settle the parking charge, he discovered he had been billed £25, despite his parking ticket showing a 10-minute duration, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Upon examining the receipt more carefully, he realised he had actually been parked for 10 minutes and 18 seconds, pushing him beyond the time threshold. Eric feels he is "being penalised" for an 18-second oversight.
A spokesperson for Manchester Airport explained that the imposition of drop-off charges is a measure to regulate demand for terminal access and alleviate traffic congestion.
They claim this ensures these zones "remain efficient" even during peak times by discouraging prolonged stays.
Eric recounted his experience, attributing the oversight to a medical condition affecting his bladder.
He shared: "Me and my daughter were seeing my other daughter and granddaughter off, they live in Dubai. In March I had a health problem with my bladder which means I have to go to the toilet more than usual."
He continued, describing the situation: "I'd gone into the terminal to go to the toilet and the guy behind one of the desks pointed me in the right direction. They were right the way down a long corridor. I went back and said my goodbyes to my daughter and granddaughter."
Upon returning home, Eric attempted to settle the £6.40 charge online but was met with a surprise.
He said: "As soon as I got home I went on the website to pay the £6.40 charge but when I went to pay it it said mine was £25. I phoned up to question it and the guy told me I can appeal but if I lose the appeal I'll be told to pay £60."
Eric expressed his frustration, adding: "When I investigated why I'd been charged over the 10 minutes it said I'd been 10 minutes and 18 seconds over. The guy on the phone said if you're one second over the 10 minutes you'll be charged £25. It just doesn't seem fair when I was 10 minutes, I wasn't 11 minutes.
"It is a new terminal, I didn't know where I was going inside and I have a bladder problem - I feel like I'm being penalised twice for it. I've been charged £25 for 18 seconds, how is that fair?"
Article continues below
A representative from Manchester Airport responded: "Drop-off charges help us to manage demand for access to our forecourts, where space is limited, and reduce traffic congestion. It means that the areas remain efficient even at busy times because people are not staying there for extended periods.
"We also offer a completely free drop-off facility by the nearby JetParks 1 car park. It is served by a 24-hour shuttle bus that runs every few minutes and takes less than six minutes to get to all three terminals."
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