UK government to review soaring airport drop-off fees after sharp price hikes

The Department for Transport has pledged a review of airport drop-off fees after a RAC analysis revealed that average charges at the UK's largest airports have jumped by about one-third since the summer of 2025. Gatwick and Stansted now charge £10, up from £7, while Edinburgh Airport's fee rose to £8.50 and Bournemouth's to £8, matching Leeds Bradford and London City. The government said the review is vital to keep travel affordable and ensure passengers are treated fairly, urging airports to restrain further increases where public-transport options are scarce.

RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis described the fees as a growing source of driver frustration, with four-in-five surveyed calling them a "rip-off". Airport representatives, including Airports UK chief executive Karen Dee, defended the charges as essential to airport business models and as an incentive for environmentally friendly transport, noting that most EU airports do not levy such fees. The move follows recent policy steps, such as eliminating extra charges for parents traveling with children.