How to avoid Stansted Airport £7 drop off zone charge

Total utter cheek, I can’t begin to understand why Standsted Airport has started to charge £7 to be dropped off at the airport terminal.

They’ve already charged you for the price of the flight ticket, now you have to pay to be dropped off as well!

Fine, I get parking fees, of course, parking space is limited and many shopping centres charge for parking, that’s fine.

But to stop by a curb for only 15 seconds, say your goodbyes, then leave, isn’t fair at all.

Ok, let’s begin!

£7 is daylight robbery

My main problem with this is the driver who is either a family member or close friend who isn’t lucky enough to be travelling with you ends up being stung by this trap!

This hidden fee is simply unfair, you shouldn’t be charged to use Stansted airport drop off zone because it promotes a negative image towards UK tourism, it’s just pure annoying.

No other airport does this in fact, some airports call it a kiss and ride stop off area and happily encourage you to use the drop off zone for free.

It’s quick, say your goodbye and off you go simple right!

I’ve even noticed they have started to do this at London Luton airport, other UK airports think it’s acceptable since it’s working so well for London Stansted airport!

However, since I’ve put together this blog post, London Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport along with Luton Airport now charges £5 to be dropped off.

It seems that almost all London airports now charge a fee for a passenger drop-off.

Do they not care about how the consumer feels about all this?

Do they care about customer service anymore?

They just want to chaise an easy buck and that’s simply unacceptable

The £2 drop off fee is here to stay, at Stansted airport

I’m sick and tired of how the British mentality is gearing towards a suck it up and deal with it culture.

This time it’s simply gone too far.

“it’s only £7 I can’t be bothered to moan about it”, this is the true British response to it.

Well, it shouldn’t be this time around, in my opinion.

Maybe this is what 3 years in the Netherlands has done to me. The Dutch wouldn’t stand for this, that’s for sure.

£7, it’s just mind blowing

My solution?

Screw the barrier and Stansted airport drop off area, get the driver to drop you off at the free alternative.

If you decide to be dropped off by the exit close to the Stansted airport drop off turn off, you may do so at your own risk, this is a double yellow line area which means no drop off (if you get caught by the camera that’s a big fine). There are also signs that indicate you cannot walk into the drop off area.

Hilton Hotel also have a drop off option at Stansted airport

Recently when picking up a car hire at the Stansted airport, I noticed that Hilton Hotels Stansted airport offers one hour free parking.

They also offer a transfer service from the airport to the departure area.

One nice idea is the hotel offers a buffet breakfast service in the morning for around £13 per person, if you’ve travelled a long way and fancy a pit stop before you fly away this can be a fantastic option.

The breakfast buffet was built for champions and good value considering they have everything you can think of as well as Take away coffee and newspapers to enjoy before your flight.

Something to bear in mind, do check the shuttle bus departure times before you start eating so you don’t miss your flight.

Many alternatives to avoid paying the drop off fee

Since your flying possibly with a budget airline put this towards your flight or offer to buy the driver a coffee for being so nice in the first place.

It annoys me when it’s the people who are trying to help out that get stuck with this stupid fee, Sort it out Stansted airport!

it’s not promoting yourself in a positive light.

It seems that many budget airlines have been based at Stansted Airport for so long it’s money-grabbing effects have started to wear off onto the customer.

And don’t give me a load of its for security reasons, because I can come up with many different congestion solutions and charging for drop off is not one of them.

Drop off at the Mid Stay car park it’s free!

**UPDATE** This post was put together a few years ago, Based on the comments of this blog post and after a recent visit to Stansted airport an updated post was needed.

Please read my updated post regarding the free drop off solution now in place at the mid stay car park: stansted airport free set down area.

Thank you for reading my blog post and I hope this helps to solve this issue, what do you think about this £7 fee?

Do you agree with the post or don’t mind it at all? Feel free to post your response below in the comment section, thank you.