Why Is There A £7 Drop Off Fee At Gatwick?

Because we're ruled by fuckwits

The reason there’s a £7 drop off fee at Gatwick Airport is because we’re ruled by fuckwits. There is no way to sugar coat this, that is the actual reason. No, no, there is no other reason, it’s because we’ve allowed the morons to gain political power.

So, one complaint:

How do #airports now justify charging £7 simply to drop someone off. I took my son to #gatwick before dawn with a 4:50am drop off. I was stationary for a max of 1 minute, total time in the airport was 2 minutes and kerching 7 quid. It’s literal daylight robbery. They must be making millions every year from it. Pure profiteering.

The airport is, well, actually, it’s mumble, mimble, about this. They mutter bits about reducing congestion and stuff:

Our forecourt drop-off charge changed on 02 May 2025. The minimum charge to use our designated drop-off zones has increaed by £1 to £7. You can pay online, over the phone or by setting up an AutoPay acccount.

Passengers can still drop off for free in the Long Stay car parks. Blue Badge holders remain extempt from the charge.

The announcement by Gatwick Airport, states by increasing the drop-off charge, we aim to continue reducing congestion in the busy drop-off areas and help achieve our aim for 60% of journeys to and from the airport to be zero or ultra-low emissions, by 2030. This will also enable us to continue to invest in sustainable alternatives, such as the recent doubling of the Gatwick-Reading train service and the Metrobus hydrogen fleet.

The clue is that “and” in the penultimate sentence. It’s sod all to do with congestion and everything to do with the tractor production statistics the fuckwits have imposed upon the airport.

The conditions attached by the transport secretary included national landscape provisions as per the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, more consideration for sustainability in buildings design and additional pollution-related mitigation measures.

The government said in its formal response to the Planning Inspectorate’s recommendations on the Gatwick DCO that it wanted more detail on how it would achieve its commitment of 54% of passengers arriving at the airport via rail within the first year of dual runway operations, which could be by the end of this decade.

The government has a target. That 54% of the arrivals at an airport - yes, an airport, where people get on jet planes - must be by public transport. Therefore the airport is charging for car drop offs in order to decrease the number of car drop offs. There is no more reason than that. Or, as up at the top, the reason there’s a £7 drop off charge at Gatwick Airport is because we are ruled by the fuckwits who have a target for public transport to an airport where people then get on jet planes.

London Gatwick has also accepted a requirement to have 54% of passengers using public transport prior to bringing the Northern Runway into operation and has reiterated the need for third parties, including the Department for Transport, to support delivery of the necessary conditions and improvements required to meet this target. This would include, for example, reinstating the full Gatwick Express train service.

Given the reliance on other parties to achieve this 54% target, should it not be achieved then London Gatwick has also proposed an alternative cars-on-the-road limit to be met before first use of the Northern Runway to address concerns about possible road congestion.  Furthermore, if neither the 54% transport mode share or the cars-on-the-road limit are met, then use of the Northern Runway would be delayed until £350m of road improvements have been completed. This would make sure any additional road traffic flows can be accommodated and any congestion avoided.  

It’s all fuckwit targets set by fuckwits.

Of course, there are those who think that fuckwit targets set by fuckwits are a good idea. For one of the problems of life is that there are always fuckwits:

When we talk about airport expansion, we often focus on runways, terminals, and the physical infrastructure. But what about how people actually get to the airport?

The journey begins long before passengers step foot in a terminal, and their choices about transport can have a significant impact on congestion, carbon emissions, and overall passenger experience.

One of the conditions set for Gatwick’s expansion is a legally binding guarantee that 54% of passengers will travel by public transport, up from today’s 44%. On the surface, it sounds like a simple shift. But transport isn’t just about availability - it’s about behaviour, convenience, and incentives.

One of the top tips for having a decent country is never, ever, allow the fuckwits to gain power. But we have done so therefore there is this £7 charge for a crop off at Gatwick Airport. That’s it, there is no other reason. There are fuckwits buried in the belly of the British state and they’re making the rules now.

Happy Days, eh?