East Midlands Airport raises drop-off charge to £8 as time limit is cut to 10 minutes
East Midlands Airport has raised its rapid drop-off charge from £5 to £8, a 60% rise, and cut the drop-off time from 15 minutes to 10, its first increase in five years.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
From this week, East Midlands Airport has raised its rapid drop-off charge from £5 to £8, an increase of 60%, and cut the maximum drop-off time from 15 minutes to 10. The airport said the move was a response to inflationary pressures and was its first rise in five years.
The charge applies to the rapid drop-off and pick-up zone, which was very busy. Holidaymakers and drivers reacted negatively. One person called the increase 'ridiculous' and 'far too much', and another said £5 was fine for 10 minutes but £8 was not. A taxi driver said the higher charge comes out of the fare because parking is not added to the fixed price. The driver also said forgetting to pay can lead to a fine, and one fine had been reduced from £100 to £60.
The airport defended the rise by pointing to investment. It said it had spent considerably over the last three years on the service and product, removing barriers, cutting congestion and making payment easier. It also cited the new security hall that opened last year, where most customers get through security within 15 minutes. The airport said it had not put prices up for five years and that its charge is comparable to other UK airports.
How East Midlands compares with other airports: - Birmingham: £8 for a similar premium drop-off zone. - Gatwick and Stansted: around £10, the most costly. - Heathrow: £7. - Manchester: £6.60 for 10 minutes, the cheapest.
Drivers can still park for free for up to an hour at the Longstade car park, which is a 10-minute walk from the terminal.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| East Midlands Airport increased its rapid drop-off charge by 60%, from £5 to £8, and reduced the drop-off time from 15 minutes to 10. | |
| East Midlands Airport said its charge is comparable to other UK airports, citing Birmingham at £8, Gatwick and Stansted around £10, Heathrow at £7, and Manchester at £6.60 for 10 minutes. | |
| East Midlands Airport said the charge increase responded to inflationary pressures and was its first increase in five years. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The coverage focused on what the higher charge means for holidaymakers and drivers, with interviews in the rapid drop-off zone and a taxi driver's account. It balanced passenger anger with the airport's defence about inflation, investment and the first rise in five years. It also provided a direct comparison with other UK airports and noted the free parking alternative.
- “Ridiculous. Far too much. I don't think we should pay as customers.”
- “We recognise that any price increase is going to be unpopular, but we have to go back and look at the investment we've made here and customer experience, quality of service.”
- “Well, Birmingham is also £8 for a similar premium drop-off zone. Gatwick and Stansted are the most costly at around £10, Heathrow is £7 and Manchester is the cheapest at £6.60 for 10 minutes.”
Who was on air
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- 13:47 BST
“It said the move was in response to inflationary pressures”
BBC News at One including... · Wed 30 Sept
Broadcast Timeline
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