Heathrow Airport to hit drivers with £80 fine 'if you stay for 11 minutes' during drop-offs
The airport has unveiled the hefty fine for drivers who exceed the 10 minute drop-off limit
Drivers dropping loved ones off at Heathrow Airport are set to be hit with a hefty £80 fine if they exceed the maximum 10-minute drop-off time.
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The new measures, detailed on the airport's website, say drivers tipping over the 10-minute mark by even a minute will now be slapped with the £80 fine.
Motorists have branded the new rules "insane" and described the move as "a complete and utter joke".
Under the revised regulations, Heathrow's Terminal Drop-Off Charge will increase from £6 to £7 per visit from January 1, 2026.
The rules allow a maximum stay of 10-minutes, with the fines set be introduced across the airport's drop-off areas.
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According to the Heathrow website, the £6 charge "applies at Heathrow every time a vehicle enters the terminal drop-off areas*.
"Drop-off areas are located right outside each terminal, making for the easiest and quickest way to drop-off passengers.
'If a vehicle is on the forecourt longer than 10 minutes, this will result in an £80 Parking Charge Notice (PCN), reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days."
It comes as the Business Travel Association has branded the decision "yet another example of rising airport charges hitting the very people who keep our economy moving".
By comparison, Gatwick Airport currently charges £7 for a maximum stay of 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, drivers at Manchester Airport are billed between £5 and £25 depending on stay time.
In response, one disgruntled driver wrote: "What a complete and utter joke! Drop-off charges are becoming insane. The last few times I was dropped off, there was no queue. It's just more gouging people."
Another said: "The UK population are increasingly ripped off & fleeced whichever way they turn. You cannot leave your house without spending ~£50 minimum these days. If you want to just function, you have to pay for the privilege."
In response, Heathrow defended the new policy, telling the Standard it "brings Heathrow's Terminal Drop-Off Charge in line with other major UK airports".
It added the PCN "helps reduce congestion, encourages public transport use, and ensures our forecourts are used for their intended purpose."
It added: "Free drop-off and pick-up options remain available for all terminals at all our Park & Ride car parks.''We have introduced a 10-minute maximum stay to smooth traffic flow and reduce congestion.
"95% of passenger visits are under 10 minutes so we expect minimal impact."