British government facilitates review of passenger departure levies at UK airports

The UK government has approved a plan to examine the charges which British airports make to drivers when they drop off passengers at the terminal entrances—charges that can amount to £10 (about €11.70) for only a few minutes and which 80% of drivers in the country regard as exploitative.

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The scheme comes about as a result of an amendment to the Civil Aviation Bill, which has already been approved by the House of Lords with the government's backing and is now being considered in the House of Commons.

When the bill is passed, the Transport Secretary will be required to examine the situation and publish a full report on the effect of these charges upon passenger affordability, pricing transparency, and the possibility of providing free drop-off areas.

Annual income

The RAC, a motoring association, states that 16 of the 20 biggest airports in the UK have raised their fees in the last year, the annual income from this source being estimated at £300 million (about €351 million).

At airports like Gatwick and Stansted, the charge is already £10, whereas at Manchester it is £5.50 for five minutes.

This is a sharp contrast to the ten busiest airports in the European Union, where none of them charges a fee for passenger drop-offs.

The British Department for Transport has asked for restraint in this area—especially in cases where there are few public transport options—but the review now under way does not grant the government the power to fix prices.

Instead, it is intended to lay the groundwork for future actions or to promote fare caps and exemptions for electric vehicles.