£1 airport drop-off fee

As BAA continues with its plans to introduce a £1 drop off fee for people arriving by car at Edinburgh Airport, a Scottish MP has launched a petition and lodged a parliamentary motion against the decision.

The airport plans to introduce the fee in October this year, with construction on a new drop off zone due to start later this month. A £1 drop off fee, valid for 10 minutes, was introduced last week at Belfast airport. Drivers who want to avoid the charge can use the airport long stay car park, where “a short grace period” is granted. At Edinburgh a similar system will be put in place.

Gordon Dewar, Edinburgh Airport’s managing director, defended the decision to introduce the £1 fee, saying the money raised would be reinvested in passenger facilities. Speaking to the Scotsman, he said: “From November, every man, woman and child who travels to or from Scotland will be taxed from £12 up to £170, and none of that money is reinvested in passenger facilities. We would be happy to debate our £1 charge, every penny of which is reinvested in delivering a safe, modern airport with a diverse choice of destinations.”