Huge blow to Brit drivers as more than half of Britain's busiest airports hike ‘kiss & fly' parking fees
Out of the 20 most popular airport, 11 have upped their drop-off prices since last summer, according to car service agency RAC.
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Many UK airports have hiked their drop-off fees
Credit: Getty
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Many airports charge over a fiver for 10 minutes of parking
Credit: Getty Images - Getty
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Passengers have been left stunned by the surge in prices
Credit: Getty
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Heathrow has bumped the price up by to £6, up by £1
The worst offenders now charge as much as £7 for a stop that could last less than ten minutes.
These hefty drop-off charges are found at Gatwick airport, Bristol, Leeds Bradford, Southampton and Stansted, which handle millions of passengers every day.
Rod Dennis from the RAC blasted the charges, saying: '£7 for a stop that could be no more than 10 minutes does seem a little steep.
"And the fact that these costs keep going up year after year is going to be a huge source of frustration for anyone dropping off a friend or loved one this summer.'
Read more Motors
Pulling up and waving someone off could cost you £7, but some airports, including
Luton
or Manchester, charge a fiver for five minutes.
Heathrow,
Edinburgh
, Birmingham and
Liverpool
have also all bumped up their kiss-and-fly rates by £1.
Cardiff Airport was previously free but has now slapped a £3 fee for 10 minutes on drop-offs for the first time.
The RAC branded the move a "cash grab", with experts saying UK airports are 'taking advantage' of drivers who have little choice but to cough up.
Most read in Motors
In other airports in Europe, nine of the ten busiest airports don't charge a penny for drop-offs.
Airports like Frankfurt and Paris Charles de Gaulle allow you to drop loved ones off for free while only Amsterdam Schiphol only charges £2.17.
Travel chaos as TWO flights have mid-air emergencies within A MINUTE at major UK airport
Some UK airports claim there are free park-and-ride options further away but many argue it's unrealistic for many passengers.
Holidaymakers with lots of luggage or mobility issues may struggle using drop-off spots further away.
Karen Dee from Airports UK tried to defend the charges, saying they help reduce 'congestion, noise, carbon emissions and air pollution' and that they're 'mandated' by local authorities.
She also argued the money supports 'a wide variety of flights'.
But many stunned drivers are taking to social media to express their disbelief.
One wrote: 'I collected my daughter's friend at Luton airport, dropped her off on their holiday at Stansted, collected them back at Stansted and finally back to Luton - £24 in total for about 20 minutes."
Another fumed: "It's daylight robbery, you're penalised for doing a good deed."
Gatwick said the charge helps cut congestion and funds green transport projects.
Blue Badge holders are still exempt at Gatwick, Belfast and Southampton, but many feel the rising costs are simply punishing people for saying goodbye.
Southampton insisted fees were reinvested into the airport to secure 'new routes for the region'.
London City remains the only major UK airport where it's still free to drop someone off.
Kiss-and-Fly Fee Increases
£7 drop-off fee now charged at:
Gatwick
Bristol
Leeds Bradford
Southampton
Stansted
£6 drop-off fee (increased by £1) at:
Heathrow
Edinburgh
Birmingham
Liverpool
Cardiff has introduced a new fee for the first time:
£3 for 10 minutes
Luton and Manchester are the most expensive per minute:
£5 for 5 minutes
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