Manchester Airport will become the third airport in the United Kingdom to introduce a charge for vehicles dropping off arriving passengers. The new fee, due to be introduced in June, will be £3 for up to three minutes and £4 for up to ten minutes.
The charge will apply when passengers are set down directly outside the terminal buildings or at the airport’s train station. Airport management says the measure is intended to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow around the forecourts.
“As passenger numbers have grown we have increasingly experienced major congestion problems on our terminal forecourts,” said Tricia Williams, COO of Manchester Airport, in a statement to the BBC. “The simple fact is our forecourts were not designed to handle the number of vehicles they do today.”
Other airports that impose similar drop‑off fees operate shuttle services to carry passengers between short‑stay parking or nearby drop‑off points and the terminal buildings. Local taxi operators have criticized the policy, arguing that the extra charge will reduce demand for their services and hurt their businesses.
Airport officials maintain the fee is intended to discourage lengthy waiting and repeated drop‑offs directly at the terminals, which they say contribute disproportionately to congestion. By encouraging drivers to use designated short‑stay parking or drop‑off areas with shuttles, the airport expects to improve safety, reduce delays and create a more reliable experience for passengers arriving and departing.
The introduction of a timed charge aligns Manchester with a growing number of airports worldwide that are shifting toward demand‑based curb access. Advocates of the change argue it helps manage peak‑period traffic and provides clearer, fairer use of limited forecourt space; opponents point out it represents an extra cost for travellers, particularly those assisting arriving passengers with heavy luggage or mobility needs.
Manchester Airport says it will publish full details of how the system will work, including payment methods and designated drop‑off locations, ahead of the launch in June. Passengers are advised to allow extra time when planning their arrival and to check the airport’s website for the latest guidance on short‑stay parking, shuttle services and accessible drop‑off options.