The airport said it’s drop off charges provides flexibility for motorists and offers more options than other UK airports
06:04, 18 Jul 2025Updated 06:15, 18 Jul 2025
Manchester Airport has defended its £5 drop off charge (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Manchester Airport has explained its drop off charges after research from the RAC claimed it was one of the most expensive UK airports on a ‘cost-per-minute’ basis, along with London Luton.
Nine airports were found to have increased their fees by £1, two increased theirs by 50p, while Cardiff introduced a new £3 fee. London Luton had no so-called ‘kiss and fly’ area last summer because of a car park fire, but now charges £5.
But drop off fees at several airports, including Manchester, remain frozen. The current drop-off charge at all of the airport’s three terminals is £5 for five minutes, increasing to £6.40 for up to 10 minutes.
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Those who take up to 30 minutes, the maximum stay, must pay a charge of £25.
There’s also the option to use the free drop off area at JetParks 1, where a free shuttle bus takes passengers to their terminal in around six minutes. Blue Badge holders are exempt from the drop off charge.
Manchester Airport says its drop off fees provide motorists with more options (Image: MEN MEDIA)
The RAC research claims that the £5 for five minutes charge means Manchester Airport, along with London Luton (which also charges £5 for five minutes), are the most expensive on a “cost-per-minute” basis.
However, Manchester Airport says this charge actually provides motorists with more options, as they won’t be charged a 10 minute fee for a drop off that takes less than five minutes – which is often the case.
A spokesperson for the airport said: “Our five-minute drop-off option gives our customers the flexibility to make sure they don’t have to pay for time they don’t use.”
At London Luton Airport, the drop off charge is £5 for five minutes, with £1 per minute thereafter, with a maximum stay of 20 minutes.
A spokesperson for London Luton said: “The average time spent in the area is well within five minutes thanks to a barrierless system designed to keep traffic flowing. Alternative free and paid-for drop off, pick up and parking options are also available at the airport. These include a 15-minute free drop off at the Mid Stay Car Park, a short walk to the terminal, and a free one hour stay available in our Long Stay Car Park, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal front door.”
A new barrierless payment system was introduced at Manchester Airport earlier this year (Image: MEN)
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If you compare Manchester Airport’s 10 minute drop off fee charges with other airports in the RAC study, it actually comes out as one of the cheapest cost-per-minute.
At Manchester a 10-minute drop off charge is £6.40, whereas at London Gatwick, London Stansted and Leeds Bradford the fee is £7.
Motorists dropping off at these airports in under five minutes will still pay the same flat £7 fee as well.
At London Luton, motorists who take ten minutes to drop off passengers are charged £10.
At the other end of the scale, London City airport has no drop off charges, while Cardiff Wales and Belfast International airports charge just £3 for a 10 minute drop off.
This year a new barrierless system was introduced At Manchester Airport for drop-off payments, which means drivers no longer have to stop at a barrier. Instead, thanks to ANPR (automatic number plate recognition), drivers can make the payment online by midnight the following day.
The system is designed to improve traffic flow and reduce wait times.
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