leeds and bradford do the same with the trollys. but they have a free 10 minute drop/pick up zone

Bristol do too with the trollys, also you have a 10min free drop.pick up in the short stay car park.

As you have made reference to that fateful day at Glasgow Airport let me enlighten you to the point of view of the victims of these circumstances. We had just come through passport control and could smell the burning. We were pulled back and put against the wall for our own safety. Then we were put out onto the tarmac in the rain wearing shorts and light clothing as we had just returned from holiday. We were then herded into a departure lounge where we were kept for several hours. The events occured on the Saturday afternoon and we were shipped by bus to the SECC for questioning being released in the early hours of Sunday. We had seen nothing of what happened. A relative who had come to the airport to pick us up was also detained along with all within the airport area. He was not allowed access to his car and we had had to hire taxis to get home some 12 hours later around 4 am. This also meant a return to the airport for the car and to retreive our luggage which was stored in a car park. Think on . The expense and inconvenience we suffered that day far outways your couple of quid, but we got home safely.

tragic day i aggree. but not to be harsh but this is as got nothing to do with that tragic day in glasgow.

Hi De Hi,

You'll find most airports have something similar in operation due to increase security measures. There's a few posts on here and the dedicated airport topics. Odd airports give you 10 or 15 minutes grace for dropping off / pick ups, but they're few and far between now.

Darren

the ayrshire tripper wrote:

As you have made reference to that fateful day at Glasgow Airport let me enlighten you to the point of view of the victims of these circumstances. We had just come through passport control and could smell the burning. We were pulled back and put against the wall for our own safety. Then we were put out onto the tarmac in the rain wearing shorts and light clothing as we had just returned from holiday. We were then herded into a departure lounge where we were kept for several hours. The events occured on the Saturday afternoon and we were shipped by bus to the SECC for questioning being released in the early hours of Sunday. We had seen nothing of what happened. A relative who had come to the airport to pick us up was also detained along with all within the airport area. He was not allowed access to his car and we had had to hire taxis to get home some 12 hours later around 4 am. This also meant a return to the airport for the car and to retreive our luggage which was stored in a car park. Think on . The expense and inconvenience we suffered that day far outways your couple of quid, but we got home safely.

I was no belittling the events at Glasgow in my post. Rather I was highlighting the fact that the Airport is using the event to justify imposing a charge on its customers. If driving close to the terminal is so dangerous then why not a total ban. If it is OK to drive up and drop off for free as it always has been in the past (pre-Glasgow) why not let it continue?

Hi De Hi,

You can't drive up to any airport terminal building any more. Most have either put concrete barriers on the roads leading to the terminal and directed traffic in to short stay car parks (hence a charge), or left one of the lanes open for immediate drop off's only. This is to prevent vehicles being used to gain access through week spots such as doors. There's an obvious business case for doing this, ie charging to use the car parks, although some do offer a 10 - 15 minute grace period. The main reason is airport security because of a mindless number of people who carried out or threat to carry out things like Glasgow airport. I suspect some of the charging is to encourage you not to drive to the airport / use car parks due to traffic congestion at the front of some of them. I know the airports I use can be complete madness at peak times.

Darren

Stansted still have a free drop off outside the terminal building but pick ups are £2 for 15 minutes - was £1 till fairly recently. Not sure about the trolleys at Stansted as we use trolley cases so don't always need a luggage trolley when checking in.

Pippa

Birmingham also has a free 15 minute allowance for drop offs in long stay 1. You can be dropped off here and then get the courtesy bus for free to the terminal. It'd be a bit more difficult getting picked up as who knows when the bus will come so you'd have to get your picker upper to hover in a back street and ring them when you're on the bus so they can enter!
Personally I don't do this as we just pay the pound!
You have to admit it's a lot less hectic by the doors now!

Don't mind paying the pound to drop off but can't believe they're charging £1 to use a trolley now. Surely you get your £1 back when you return it??

Hi De Hi, says the pound isn't returned!! The drop off charge OK, I can go with that, anything that improves security is a good thing, but £1 for a trolley, that is a bit much- I know they are providing a service, but you pay for that in the price of your ticket. It seems that from Budget airlines to airports, it's charges every which way you turn and it all adds up.
I know there's nothing you can do about it, but it's annoying all the same.

Pam

Trolly Cases no need of the pound charge.

We have trolley cases, but we still need an airport trolley as the kids aren't big enough to wheel luggage!!

Pam

Well you can get close to Birmingham but you could drive an articulate l;orry right into Terminal 5 at Chicago without any trouble at all. Also this year at both Birmingham and Chicago the luggage checkin was the laxest I can remember from 40s years of flying!

Alternatively You Could Drop Off/Pick Up At The Train Station And Catch The Free AirRail Link, Which Runs Continuously

Gower

So can anyone tell me please - are Taxi's not able to drop you off at Gatwick North (or south)? anymore?

Miss Pink,

What Makes You Say That?, This Question Is Better In Our Gatwick Airport Thread Over On The Flights Forum.

At North Terminal You Can Use The Upper Ramp
At South Terminal You Can Use The Short Seat Car Park

Gower

There is also a BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT Q&As topic in our Airlines & Airports forum. I will close this thread now to reduce duplication.

David