Stansted Airport now charges £28 for longer drop-offs

A second UK airport is now charging drivers £10 for a regular drop-off, while longer visits will cost £28.

Stansted Airport has followed in the footsteps of Gatwick and upped its drop-off fee to £10 before the Easter holidays.

All London airports are now charging for these short visits after City Airport announced its first-ever fee in January. Gatwick increased the fee to a record-high £10 just before Christmas.

From today, drivers to Stansted will have to dish out more after the fee went up by £3 from £7 – a decision that sparked disbelief among drivers who use the airport known for its budget-friendly flights with airlines like Ryanair.

One person joked: ‘When the drop off fee is half the price of the flight.’

How much is the new Stansted drop-off fee?

A 15-minute stay will set you back £10, while any longer visits will cost £28 a pop.

Stansted said the charge has been in place since 2012 to encourage people to take public transport to the Essex travel hub.

A spokesperson told Metro: ‘This measure makes an important contribution to encouraging alternative, more sustainable transport options and reducing congestion on the airport and surrounding roads.

‘Express Set Down charges have been designed to tackle ‘kiss and fly’ journeys, which are the least sustainable way of accessing the airport, involving four car journeys per flight. Reducing the number of cars accessing the space immediately in front of the terminal also helps manage congestion in a capacity-restricted area.’

Consumer champion Which? labelled the move ‘a fresh blow to travellers, just in time for the Easter holidays.’

Naomi Leach, the Which? Travel deputy editor, said: ‘These rising fees, combined with strict time limits, will only pile on more stress, frustration and expense for passengers during an already uncertain time for travel.

‘Fortunately, there are alternative long-stay car parks where you can drop off free of charge at all major UK airports.’

Despite the incease, Gatwick’s drop-off fee is still the highest in London as £10 fee only gets you a 10-minute stay.

Where can you drop off passengers for free at Stansted?

If you are looking to avoid the payment, there are some ways to set down passengers for free, although it might require a bit of extra time.

For the free zone, head to the mid-stay car park instead, located at postcode CM24 1PZ.

It has a free shuttle service running 24/7 from the nearest bus stop, and the journey to the terminal takes 7 minutes.

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