It’s certainly no secret that I love an airport. The excitement, the anticipation, the fact that it’s completely reasonable to sink a pint at 6am. What’s not to enjoy? Well, the fact that you have to pay a rather extortionate amount of money to be dropped off there, I suppose. And now, the only airport in London that didn’t previously operate a drop-off charge has introduced one.
London City Airport was recently crowned the best airport in the UK by the readers of Condé Nast Traveller (and was also named the best airport in London earlier in the year by Which?). Frequently praised for its commitment to offering speed, accessibility and comfort in the heart of the capital; London City boasts a rather unparalleled location. And is, by far, one of the easiest, quickest, and most affordable London airports to reach. The drop-off fee has been introduced in a bid to ‘encourage more travel to and from the airport via public and sustainable transport modes’. And it’ll help the airport meet its wider sustainability goals.
The drop-off free at London City Airport will be £8 for up to 5 minutes and then an additional £1 per minute from there. The maximum stay length is 10 minutes. Blue badge holders will be exempt from the charge, and black cabs will have the fee formally included in the meter (in line with Transport for London’s agreement with other major London airports).
London City Airport has followed in the footsteps of other London airports who have long been running similar schemes. Gatwick Airport has recently raised its drop-off fee from £7 to £10, making it the most expensive airport for drop-off in England.
The London City Airport drop-off fee comes in to effect from today (January 6), as does the increase at Gatwick.