Gatwick introduces South Terminal drop-off charge

Vehicles will incur a £5 charge 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.

Jonathan Pollard, the airport’s chief commercial officer, said: “We know that a drop off charge is not going to be popular with everyone, but we have just lost £465 million and more than 40% of our staff, so this new revenue stream will help us to protect the remaining jobs.”

The airport advises people picking up passengers to do so from short stay car parks “as it often takes more time to collect passengers”. Short stay car park users are permitted a 30-minute stay for the same £5 tariff as 10 minutes on the forecourts.

Alternatively, passengers can be picked up in the long stay car parks, where parking is free for up to two hours, using the free shuttle bus from the terminals.

Enforcement of the scheme, including penalty notices, will be via number plate recognition cameras, with payment of the charges online. Blue Badge holders are exempt from the fee.