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Stansted Drop off charges - beware.

The_PresidentThe_President
in Not Sports Related
Whilst back in UK to see my children. One of my kids flew back to South Africa yesterday via a new Emirates service using Stansted.
Its very new so this is the first time I've been to Stansted for some time.
So, in dropping off my daughter, we stayed in the Drop off zone for 11 minutes and was charged at exit 25 pounds !!
Apparently if you stay 10 mins or less its £3.50, but as soon as you go beyond 10, its 25 pounds.

I refused to pay it. Said it was a con and they were thieves, as most of the 10 mins was spent queuing up to get through and also then out , and suddenly I was ushered out of a side gate and paid 3.50.
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Comments

  • smudge7946smudge7946
    Next time. Have a cafc badge prominent.
    I'll get u the taxi password if I see u.
  • JaShea99JaShea99
    It’s disgusting but there are clear warnings about it.
  • cafcfancafcfan
    Yeah. It's a rip-off. But standard behaviour at many UK airports now. There's a free (if it's under one hour, £2 for two hours) drop-off/pick-up point in the mid-stay car park but you have to get a freebie bus to/from the terminal.

    When flights are late, you see loads of taxis parked up in the lay-byes on the A120 waiting for a call from their punter so they don't get done.
  • Saga LoutSaga Lout
    Very timely thread as I'm picking someone up at Stansted on Wednesday. Thanks!
  • MuttleyCAFCMuttleyCAFC
    AllHailTheHen said:

    My wife did this when collecting me. Advised me she'd been waiting 10 minutes then we got stung for over £60 when it turned out she'd actually been there over 30. Managed to sweet talk whoever was at the other end of the intercom to let us off. I was tempted to make her pay it on the principle of her shit time keeping

    Good luck getting her to collect you again if you did that :) It is a joke though - just because they can, doesn't mean they should. Maybe legislation is needed. We all expect to pay premium prices, but that shouldn't mean they can take the piss!
  • CarterCarter
    MuttleyCAFC said:

    AllHailTheHen said:

    My wife did this when collecting me. Advised me she'd been waiting 10 minutes then we got stung for over £60 when it turned out she'd actually been there over 30. Managed to sweet talk whoever was at the other end of the intercom to let us off. I was tempted to make her pay it on the principle of her shit time keeping

    Good luck getting her to collect you again if you did that :) It is a joke though - just because they can, doesn't mean they should. Maybe legislation is needed. We all expect to pay premium prices, but that shouldn't mean they can take the piss!
    It's the world now though isn't it, Gatwick does it right with people properly enforcing the no loitering and that runs smoothly until someone behaves like a selfish prick.

    All it's done there is encourage people to park in increasingly stupid places around the airport.
  • cafcfancafcfan
    But this is why we should probably carry on using the on-site car parks.

    https://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-44930783
  • The_PresidentThe_President
    Its a bit rubbish when the cost of the drop-off is more expensive than the flight itself.
  • The_PresidentThe_President
    JaShea99 said:

    It’s disgusting but there are clear warnings about it.

    Thats one of the major points - there aren't clear warnings about it.
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  • RivieraRiviera
    That's what makes Stansted London's best airport. It's very cheap to pick up or drop off as long as you observe the rules. Gatwick and Heathrow charge far more for short stay car parks as Stansted do. You can just pick up at Stanstead for £3.50 as long as you don't block up the system and try and park for 30-60 mins before your passengers arrive. You can easily cruise around the whole Stansted estate or park up at the really nearby services if you have to wait. It's quite simple, don't turn up hours early to pick people up and cock up the whole system which works really well if you respect it.
  • The_PresidentThe_President
    Riviera said:

    That's what makes Stansted London's best airport. It's very cheap to pick up or drop off as long as you observe the rules. Gatwick and Heathrow charge far more for short stay car parks as Stansted do. You can just pick up at Stanstead for £3.50 as long as you don't block up the system and try and park for 30-60 mins before your passengers arrive. You can easily cruise around the whole Stansted estate or park up at the really nearby services if you have to wait. It's quite simple, don't turn up hours early to pick people up and cock up the whole system which works really well if you respect it.

    I was just dropping off.
    Because of the amount of traffic getting into the drop-off and then out with the queuing for the machines, the amount of time escalated to 11 mins - there was no 'cruising' or disrespect of the rules.
    At Heathrow, its a time based system - you know what you are paying - but at least you are not being dropped off the edge of the cliff from 3.50 to 25.00 because of 1 minute.
    Stansted is the shittiest London airport going.
  • CarterCarter
    The_President said:

    Riviera said:

    That's what makes Stansted London's best airport. It's very cheap to pick up or drop off as long as you observe the rules. Gatwick and Heathrow charge far more for short stay car parks as Stansted do. You can just pick up at Stanstead for £3.50 as long as you don't block up the system and try and park for 30-60 mins before your passengers arrive. You can easily cruise around the whole Stansted estate or park up at the really nearby services if you have to wait. It's quite simple, don't turn up hours early to pick people up and cock up the whole system which works really well if you respect it.

    I was just dropping off.
    Because of the amount of traffic getting into the drop-off and then out with the queuing for the machines, the amount of time escalated to 11 mins - there was no 'cruising' or disrespect of the rules.
    At Heathrow, its a time based system - you know what you are paying - but at least you are not being dropped off the edge of the cliff from 3.50 to 25.00 because of 1 minute.
    Stansted is the shittiest London airport going.
    Stansted is a pretty shit airport, Luton isn't much more fun though. What aggravated me is what has aggravated you, the traffic gets so snarled up from the poxy machines being in situ that it doesn't take much to be in the zone for over 10 minutes.
  • JaShea99JaShea99
    The_President said:

    JaShea99 said:

    It’s disgusting but there are clear warnings about it.

    Thats one of the major points - there aren't clear warnings about it.
    I’ll check next time I’m there, but I’m almost certain it says ‘£3.50 for 10 minute drop off’ or words to that effect. So I’d assume there would be a penalty for staying longer than that.
  • RivieraRiviera
    Annoys me when people get the hump when they get fined for breaking the rules.
  • cafcfancafcfan
    The_President said:

    JaShea99 said:

    It’s disgusting but there are clear warnings about it.

    Thats one of the major points - there aren't clear warnings about it.
    Apart from these you mean? But it' still a rip-off.

    image
  • palarsehaterpalarsehater
    airports in recent times ( terrorism ) have to keep cars waiting around to a minimum and this is one way of doing so
  • RedroboRedrobo
    palarsehater said:

    airports in recent times ( terrorism ) have to keep cars waiting around to a minimum and this is one way of doing so

    Making the first 10 minutes free would help as drivers would not have to search for change or mess around with a card, or have a moan to reduce the charge.

    Less would hit the charge as they would not have to wait to get out. £25 an hour for not parking is an outrage in it’s self.

    Far be it for me to suggest that it is more about money than safety though!
  • The_PresidentThe_President
    Riviera said:

    Annoys me when people get the hump when they get fined for breaking the rules.

    I'll say again.....there was no breaking of the 'rules'
  • The_PresidentThe_President
    cafcfan said:

    The_President said:

    JaShea99 said:

    It’s disgusting but there are clear warnings about it.

    Thats one of the major points - there aren't clear warnings about it.
    Apart from these you mean? But it' still a rip-off.

    image
    I think you'll find that sign is outside the terminal - at the entrance to the ramp there is only mention of the 3.50 - at least that's all I saw .

    Heathrow short term charges are 4.20 for up to 30 mins then 7.20 up to 1 hour and graded thereafter. Not quite 25 pounds !

    Stansted are just ripping everyone off.
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  • cafcfan1990cafcfan1990
    palarsehater said:

    airports in recent times ( terrorism ) have to keep cars waiting around to a minimum and this is one way of doing so

    So they rip you off then. I completely agree you shouldn't be able to park up for 2 hours and have a kip whilst waiting for the flight to arrive but £25 for 15 mins is a bloody joke.
  • palarsehaterpalarsehater
    cafcfan1990 said:

    palarsehater said:

    airports in recent times ( terrorism ) have to keep cars waiting around to a minimum and this is one way of doing so

    So they rip you off then. I completely agree you shouldn't be able to park up for 2 hours and have a kip whilst waiting for the flight to arrive but £25 for 15 mins is a bloody joke.
    is it ripping you off?, what are there costs for cameras, security patrols etc?, i do think its expensive but it isnt obligatory to be dropped to the airport, take a taxi, public transport.
  • The_PresidentThe_President
    palarsehater said:

    cafcfan1990 said:

    palarsehater said:

    airports in recent times ( terrorism ) have to keep cars waiting around to a minimum and this is one way of doing so

    So they rip you off then. I completely agree you shouldn't be able to park up for 2 hours and have a kip whilst waiting for the flight to arrive but £25 for 15 mins is a bloody joke.
    is it ripping you off?, what are there costs for cameras, security patrols etc?, i do think its expensive but it isnt obligatory to be dropped to the airport, take a taxi, public transport.
    Its ripping you off in comparison to the Heathrow charges.
  • KillersBeardKillersBeard
    What really gets me about the Stanstead thing is with the money they are making, they could comfortably appoint a small team of parking stewards to ensure that it all runs smoothly.

    When it first began, I roughly estimated with the number of cars dropping off that they would earn over1 million pounds a year from the charge and that was when it was £2.00!!

    As it stands the first twenty or so cars park immediately and the next few just wait till they offload so as their passengers don't have to walk far, the next bunch wait behind them and so it goes on. Occasionally you get the inconsiderate cretins who just stop and offload and sod the rest of you!
    Nobody was on hand to usher the next wave of cars to park further down, or to slap a fine on those who abuse the rule.

    Last time I went, I started queuing at the Priory Wood Roundabout, just because no-one was around to make sure the traffic flowed past the terminal. Passengers were getting out of the cars and walking to the terminal because it was quicker!

    I have no problem with a company spotting a money making opportunity, but just bloody do it properly!
  • AddicktedAddickted
    Drop Off/Pick Up at Gatwick is free.
  • bazjonsterbazjonster
    palarsehater said:

    cafcfan1990 said:

    palarsehater said:

    airports in recent times ( terrorism ) have to keep cars waiting around to a minimum and this is one way of doing so

    So they rip you off then. I completely agree you shouldn't be able to park up for 2 hours and have a kip whilst waiting for the flight to arrive but £25 for 15 mins is a bloody joke.
    is it ripping you off?, what are there costs for cameras, security patrols etc?, i do think its expensive but it isnt obligatory to be dropped to the airport, take a taxi, public transport.
    Or this of course:

    We offer a free pick up and drop off option from a dedicated area in the Mid Stay Car Park. Just a 5 minute courtesy bus ride away from the terminal forecourt (buses run every 10 minutes).
  • Taxi_LadTaxi_Lad
    smudge7946 said:

    Next time. Have a cafc badge prominent.
    I'll get u the taxi password if I see u.

    What is this password of which you speak??
  • JoshrewCAFCJoshrewCAFC
    Lots of places don't have signs of the costs until you've driven into the car park/area.

    Once my brother came to pick me up from the O2, he went through the barrier and turned left, then seeing the sign with the cost (can't remember how much but to be in there for about 3minutes he had to pay well over £10 I think).

    Had to fight them for months over it, even after taking pictures proving the sign was hiden until after he entered the car park. Eventually got his money back, can't believe places get away with these things.
  • RedroboRedrobo
    JoshrewCAFC said:

    Lots of places don't have signs of the costs until you've driven into the car park/area.

    Once my brother came to pick me up from the O2, he went through the barrier and turned left, then seeing the sign with the cost (can't remember how much but to be in there for about 3minutes he had to pay well over £10 I think).

    Had to fight them for months over it, even after taking pictures proving the sign was hiden until after he entered the car park. Eventually got his money back, can't believe places get away with these things.

    Nailed it. You are given directions and end up at a barrier. At what point can you say “actually I cannot afford this” and peel off? You drive to departures and arrive at a barrier. In any barter system you must have the right to walk away.
  • stevexreevestevexreeve
    KillersBeard said:

    What really gets me about the Stanstead thing is with the money they are making, they could comfortably appoint a small team of parking stewards to ensure that it all runs smoothly.

    When it first began, I roughly estimated with the number of cars dropping off that they would earn over1 million pounds a year from the charge and that was when it was £2.00!!

    Needs covering 24 / 7. Maybe six teams if you allow for holidays and weekends (even Christmas day).
    So just three or four people per team?

    A million pounds doesn't buy you much these days.
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