[Finance] gatwick drop-off fee £5

[Seagull58]

I’m getting a bit bored of this thread now but after all the shit UK airports and airlines have been through, the debts they’ve run up, you are quibbling over a new 5 quid charge. A charge which in the grand scheme of a holiday is negligible. A charge which if you want to avoid you can. A charge which, I guess, is connected to something which is totally non-essential. If it helps the airport, keeps people in work and keeps airplanes flying I am all for it.

I hope you expend the same level of time and energy on issues that really matter.

Im sure you'll be equally happy to pay 5 pounds to be dropped off at Tescos or Aldi or your local restaurant.

 

[Baldseagull]

That is not a car drop-off area. It is an arrival area that is used by busses, coaches and staff coming to work as ell as passengers arriving for their flights.

When did you last drop someone or get dropped for a flight from Gatwick?

 

[Seagull58]

When did you last drop someone or get dropped for a flight from Gatwick?

5 or 6 years ago.

 

[Baldseagull]

5 or 6 years ago.

OK, well you probably dropped at the South Terminal back then, which is not operating currently. North Terminal is now where all flights currently operate from, and is where all easyjet flights arrive/depart from in normal times so is the most commonly used Terminal.
South Terminal has always had two lanes dedicated to car drop off as well though, not the same area as buses. It probably looks much as it was if you are dropping off there, but the lifts and entrance for passengers is much improved.

Here is a link to the streetview of the drop off area North Terminal.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.161...4!1svXtJCaL4vhiy6m70b2K1EQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

OK, well you probably dropped at the South Terminal back then, which is not operating currently. North Terminal is now where all flights currently operate from, and is where all easyjet flights arrive/depart from in normal times so is the most commonly used Terminal.
South Terminal has always had two lanes dedicated to car drop off as well though, not the same area as buses. It probably looks much as it was if you are dropping off there, but the lifts and entrance for passengers is much improved.

Here is a link to the streetview of the drop off area North Terminal.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.161...4!1svXtJCaL4vhiy6m70b2K1EQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

North terminal entrance is vastly improved over the past few years, lifts and travelator from the drop off place. Two hotels directly opposite. Plus the terminal as a whole is much better.

 

[Beach Hut]

Car parking has been hiked up £200 for two weeks over Easter, easy decision train there and booked cab back for £68

 

[doogie004]

None of the airports I use (Faro, Lisbon, Bordeaux, Johannesburg) charge for drop-off or pick-up. It is a scam.

Scam ? It’s life as a taxi driver no I don’t like it neither do my passengers but here we are
Don’t like the fuel prices going up daily but still fill up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

The drop off areas at both Heathrow and Gatwick which used to be free were being abused by people trying to avoid parking charges. People were blocking the road waiting for arrival passengers making it difficult for those trying to drop off departing passengers.

They then introduced 'no waiting' but that needed constant enforcement as people would then try the " I'll only be a minute " line and enforcing that all costs money. I don't agree with this but I can understand why it is implemented.

Personally, I would like to see UK airports have the US model where there is a strict no waiting policy enforced at the terminal for drop off and pick up but they also provide a 'cell phone' lot where you park for free about 10 minutes away in a place with nice facilities - clean toilets, cafe , etc - and then, when your passenger is ready to be collected, you drive round and get your passengers.

 

[BrightonCottager]

I've now got to get up early doors tomorrow to take my wife to Gatwick as there's a train strike. What's the process for paying this charge please? (I was going to ask about avoiding it but having read the thread, will suck it up! )

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I've now got to get up early doors tomorrow to take my wife to Gatwick as there's a train strike. What's the process for paying this charge please? (I was going to ask about avoiding it but having read the thread, will suck it up! )

If it's North Terminal you are dropping at then as you come in keep right and follow the signs for 'Hotels'. Drop at the barriers of the Sofia Hotel and then continue straight on. No charges - no barriers. You're welcome ! And if she needs the South Terminal - do the same but she can catch the not so mythical mono-rail from the North.

 

[BNthree]

I've now got to get up early doors tomorrow to take my wife to Gatwick as there's a train strike. What's the process for paying this charge please? (I was going to ask about avoiding it but having read the thread, will suck it up! )

There’s signage galore with the url for the site to pay on when you’re there.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

If it's North Terminal you are dropping at then as you come in keep right and follow the signs for 'Hotels'. Drop at the barriers of the Sofia Hotel and then continue straight on. No charges - no barriers. You're welcome ! And if she needs the South Terminal - do the same but she can catch the not so mythical mono-rail from the North.

If it’s the south bear right into Eastway and use the Hilton forecourt or Macdonalds

 

[beorhthelm]

can you still roll up to the railway drop off and use that for free? just have to go up escalator from there to south terminal.

 

[dazzer6666]

Interesting to see how much the parking charges have rocketed…..used to be cheaper to park in meet and greet for a week (booking at least a month ahead) than getting a taxi from here, but it’s nowhere close now - parking charge more or less double what it was a year ago and c50% more than a taxi both ways (long term not much different to the taxi fare, so just not worth the faff with the shuttle buses which can be crap if you’re unlucky with timing).

 

[The Wookiee]

Car parking has been hiked up £200 for two weeks over Easter, easy decision train there and booked cab back for £68

I now always book the Premier inn when I have an early flight or a late flight back.
Get train up and start my holiday a day early!
Book early enough and you can get a night for under £100.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

can you still roll up to the railway drop off and use that for free? just have to go up escalator from there to south terminal.

If you mean the old internal ring road under the South Terminal then no - they shut down public access to that a few years ago.

 

[virtual22]

You can drop off in the South Terminal long stay car park and also park there free for two hours without booking. Takes about 4 mins on the bus to get to the terminal, or if you're only taking hand luggae you can walk it in about 10 mins.

"Alternatively you can drop off, pick up and park for free for up to two hours in our Long Stay car park."

Makes a total mockery of the bs they vomitted out when they brought this in saying it was to encourage people the take public transport and go green. Actually the only bit you're saving by using the long stay drop off is probably less than a quarter of a mile. I would rather they were just honest and said "yeah, we just wanna squeeze every single last penny we can out of you , and we know we can. It's got bugger all to do with the environment, it's about raising as much profit as possible". Don't try to mug us off with eco BS.

 

[Weststander]

Interesting to see how much the parking charges have rocketed…..used to be cheaper to park in meet and greet for a week (booking at least a month ahead) than getting a taxi from here, but it’s nowhere close now - parking charge more or less double what it was a year ago and c50% more than a taxi both ways (long term not much different to the taxi fare, so just not worth the faff with the shuttle buses which can be crap if you’re unlucky with timing).

We’ve been hit by that. One of the small holidays costs, in just three years has multiplied into a major add on.

So much so that in a trip to Prague in February we used the train.

Interesting the argument that they’re recouping the pandemic losses, which are true. But once recouped, there’ll be no prices reduction.

 

[HeaviestTed]

I drove through the £5 drop off area by accident but didn’t stop, do I still need to pay?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I've now got to get up early doors tomorrow to take my wife to Gatwick as there's a train strike. What's the process for paying this charge please? (I was going to ask about avoiding it but having read the thread, will suck it up! )

£5 for a Missus free weekend seems a bargain to me.