The Business Travel Association (BTA) has welcomed the prospect of a government review into airport drop-off fees, renewing its calls for reform of what many travellers see as costly “kiss and fly” charges.
The association says a review is an opportunity to tackle concerns over affordability, accessibility and transparency.
The BTA has been campaigning for a package of changes. These include a £3 cap on drop-off fees, charges applied only at peak times, a 50% discount for electric vehicles and a single daily charge, however many times a driver visits.
Criticism of drop-off costs has been growing across the UK. Research by the RAC found that 16 of the country’s 20 busiest airports have raised their charges over the past year, taking the average fee to £7.
BTA chief executive Clive Wratten said the review must lead to “meaningful change” rather than simply allowing airports to justify existing charges. He argued that fees of up to £10 for a brief drop-off at the terminal are hard to justify when public transport is not always a practical alternative.
The issue was raised in Parliament during the debate on the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill. Transport Minister Keir Mather told MPs that “the Government have no objection to conducting a review of this matter”. The scope and timing of any review have yet to be set out.
