Airport to introduce £5 charge for ‘kiss-and-fly’ car drop-offs as it explores new revenue options

Vehicles dropping passengers right outside Gatwick Airport’s North Terminal will now have to pay £5 per visit.

The airport announced plans for the scheme in October last year but now bosses have confirmed the charge will be introduced from March 8.

The charge is set to be extendedtotheSouthTerminal in the future.

Bosses said the scheme will cut traffic congestion and emissions as well as being a deterrent for a car-led recovery when more regular travel resumes.

Jonathan Pollard, chief commercial officer, said: “It is no secret that the airport is goingthroughthemostdifficult period in its history and we have little choice but to explore new revenue streams that will us help us recover from the Covid-19 crisis and continue as an important provider of economic prosperity and jobs across the region.

“This new scheme will also encourage passengers to consider more sustainable transport options, including taking advantage of our excellent public transport services.

“We plan to use this charge to build on these services by using a proportion of the revenue raised to support new sustainable transport initiatives, in addition to our ongoing project to build a new £150million airport train station which is progressing well.”

Anyone who does not want to pay the £5 charge will be able to drop off or pick up passengers in the airport’s long-stay car parks with two hours’ free parking and a free shuttle bus to the terminal.

Alternatively, passengers can use public transport to get to the airport.

By encouraging other forms of journey to the airport, the charge will help Gatwick continue to meet its commitment to reduce ‘kiss and fly’ – the least sustainable type of journey to the airport –as it involves two return car journeys and may contribute to a reduction in traffic at Gatwick and surrounding local areas, an airport spokesman said.

The charge will be £5 for 10 minutes, and £1 for each additional minute up to 20 minutes. The maximum charge will be £25 and the maximum length of stay 30 mins.

Blue badge holders will be able to access the forecourt free of charge by registering their details up to three months in advance before arriving at the airport.

When the charge is introduced for the South Terminal, at a later date, local commuters living within a limited number of postcode sectors close to the airport (RH6 0, RH6 9, RH11 0) with no public transport access will be allowed two visits per day to use the railway station by paying an annual £50 charge.

A Red Route system is being introduced across the airport campus to indicate that stopping to park, load or unload, board or alight from a vehicle is prohibited.

For more information on Gatwick’s forecourt charging system visit www. gatwickairport.com/dropoff