Drop-off fees have soared at two-thirds of airports in the past three years

DROP-off fees have increased at two-thirds of airports in the past three years, research shows.

Stansted in Essex has seen its cost rise from £4 for ten minutes in 2019 to £7 for 15 now.

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Eight of the 22 airports in the survey charge £5 for drop-offs — including Gatwick and Heathrow — with time limits ranging from five to 15 minutes.

Bristol was £1 for ten minutes but is now £5.

Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow all doubled their charge since 2019 to £4 for ten minutes.

Birmingham and Belfast International have kept their rates the same £3 for 15 minutes and £1 for ten minutes respectively.

Cardiff, London City and Belfast City are free.

Nicholas Lyes, of RAC, which compiled the stats, said: “Anyone dropping a loved one off this summer will be stunned by these sky-high charges.”

“And for those using the UK’s two busiest airports, the luxury of free drop-offs outside the terminal building has been replaced by some pretty high fees.

“Minute for minute and pound for pound, some of these charges could almost be as high as the airfare itself.”

Yet Lyes advised drivers not to try to avoid the charges.

“Trying to drop passengers off without paying could result in a hefty charge,” he suggested.