Heathrow Airport is set to introduce a strict new time limit on terminal drop-offs, hitting drivers who linger for more than ten minutes with a hefty £80 penalty charge. The controversial measure, effective from January, accompanies an inflation-busting increase in the standard drop-off fee.
Strict New Rules and Rising Costs
From the start of the new year, anyone spending longer than ten minutes unloading luggage or saying farewell to loved ones on the airport's terminal forecourts will be issued a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) of £80. This charge will be reduced to £40 if paid within a fortnight. The move marks the first time Britain's busiest airport has enforced a time limit on these drop-off activities.
This significant shake-up of access rules comes alongside a rise in the existing drop-off charge, which will jump from £6 to £7. Heathrow stated on its website that the 10-minute maximum stay is being introduced on all terminal forecourts to 'ease congestion and improve traffic flow', aiming to enhance the experience for customers using the service as intended.
Industry and Public Backlash
The announcement has been met with fierce criticism from both business representatives and the public. Clive Wratten, chief executive of the Business Travel Association, branded the decision 'yet another example of rising airport charges hitting the very people who keep our economy moving'. He argued there was 'next to no justification for this' and that the charges do not improve passenger experience or reliability.
Angry motorists quickly voiced their outrage online following the news. One labelled the policy 'a complete and utter joke', calling drop-off charges 'insane'. Another complained that the UK population is 'increasingly ripped off & fleeced whichever way they turn'. A third simply stated: 'There is no need to charge a single penny. You're just blatantly ripping people off, it's disgusting.'
Specialist publication TaxiPoint warned that the strict cut-off could disproportionately affect taxi drivers and vulnerable passengers, noting that congested approaches to terminals can already eat into the time available to disembark.
How Heathrow Compares and Who is Exempt
While most other major UK airports already penalise overstayers, Heathrow's approach is among the strictest. Typically, airports like Gatwick and Manchester allow drivers to pay for additional minutes rather than issuing an immediate fine. Gatwick charges £7 for a maximum ten-minute stay, while Manchester operates a variable charging system.
Heathrow has outlined some exemptions to its new rule. Blue Badge holders will not be held to the 10-minute limit, provided they register their trip in advance as per the required process. The airport also emphasised that free drop-off and pick-up options remain available at all its Park & Ride car parks, and that pick-ups should continue to be made from terminal parking or these Park & Ride facilities.
Defending the policy, a Heathrow spokesperson told the Standard it 'brings Heathrow's Terminal Drop-Off Charge in line with other major UK airports' and helps reduce congestion, encourage public transport use, and ensure forecourts are used correctly. The airport added that as 95% of passenger visits are under ten minutes, it expects minimal impact from the change.
