Edinburgh Airport introduces its controversial passenger drop-off fee from tomorrow (Friday 29 October 2010). Critics of the move to charge car drivers for picking up and dropping off family and friends have called the move a "money grab".
From tomorrow, drivers will now have to pay £1 for 10 minutes to use the covered drop-off area, located on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park, to either drop off or collect passengers. There are 52 pull-in bays to reduce double parking, which are less than a minute’s walk from the terminal.
The facility is designed purely for a quick drop-off. After the 10-minute period the cost of using the drop off facility gradually becomes more punitive, increasing to £5 for 10-20 minutes, £7 for up to 60 minutes, and then every hour after the first hour will be charged at £9 per hour. Disabled drivers with a Blue Badge or travellers carrying Blue Badge holders do not have to pay for the first 15 minutes.
Drivers who plan on lingering longer at Edinburgh Airport will pay less at the airport's Short Stay Car Park. For example, parking for an hour and a half at the short stay car park costs less than half the fee for parking at the drop-off facility.
BAA Edinburgh has said that 15p from every £1 drop off charge will be invested into "environmental and community projects in and around Edinburgh Airport".
In terms of passenger numbers, Edinburgh Airport is the fastest growing airport in the UK with 9,022,434 passengers passing through its gates over the year to February 2010 (an increase of 1.6% over the previous year).
The airport at Turnhouse is not served by a rail line. Edinburgh's troubled trams project is supposed to be opening a link between the airport and the city centre, but it is not clear when that will be completed.
However, Lothian Buses runs a regular Airlink bus service to the airport, with free wi-fi, laptop tables, and CCTV on the double deckers. Airlink costs £3.50 single or £6 return (£2 single, £3 return for children).
Edinburgh Airport New Drop-off fees
- First 10 mins: £1
- 10-20 mins: £5
- up to 60 minutes: £7
- per hour: £9
Edinburgh Airport Short stay parking fees
- First 15 mins: £2
- 15–30 mins: £3.40
- 30 mins – 1 hour: £4.40
- 1 hour – 1 hour 30 mins: £5.90
- 1 hour 30 mins – 2 hours: £6.40
- 2 – 3 hrs: £7.40
- 3 – 4 hrs: £8.40
- 4 – 8 hrs: £16.50
- 8 – 12 hrs: £18
- 12 – 24 hrs: £21