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Join Which? TravelThe airport parking mistake that could cost you £100 this Easter
What to watch out for with barrierless car parks, plus how to dodge expensive drop-off parking at Gatwick, Manchester and other airports
An Orwell prize-nominated investigative journalist, Kate lives in Portugal and covers news, travel rules, tourist taxes and visas.
A quick pick-up or drop-off at some UK airports could cost you up to £100 on your next holiday – if you make this specific mistake in new barrierless airport car parks.
It already costs enough to use many airport drop-off lanes, with some of the most expensive, like London Gatwick, now charging a whopping £10 for just a 10-minute slot in 2026.
But to add to the hassle, there’s something new to watch out for next time you’re using a drop-off – barrierless car parks.
Instead of physical barriers with payment booths, barrierless car parks at airports including Birmingham, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Manchester and Stansted now use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) to track how long you park for and how much you owe.
Depending on the airport, you’ll need to remember to pay online or by phone, by the deadline of midnight the next day -- or within 24 hours at Birmingham.
But if you forget to pay on time, you’ll receive a fine. These vary between airports but can range from £80-£100 and are reduced if paid within 14 days.
Are barrierless airport car park fines legal?
We previously reported that the legal basis for these fines has been challenged.
In one case, a barrister avoided a fine for failing to pay Heathrow’s £5 drop-off charge by questioning its legality. Edward Levey, a King’s Counsel at a London chambers, neglected to pay Heathrow’s new £5 fee when dropping off his daughter at the end of last year. The following night, he realised he’d forgotten to pay, and this meant he was threatened with an £80 fine, reduced to £40 if he paid within 14 days.
He admitted that there were many signs at the airport warning of the drop-off charge, but believed that – because it’s difficult to pay in the moment – many people will forget as soon as they get home. He attempted to appeal against the fine but parking firm APCOA, which runs the system for Heathrow, turned down his appeal and appointed a debt agency to recover the money.
The parking firm, APCOA, dropped the fine before the challenge went to court.
Before arriving at some airports, you can register for an AutoPay account, which automatically charges your card – but always check how much you’ve been charged at any barrierless car park.
Barrierless car park fines
Most airports have a free, albeit less convenient, drop-off option you can use instead. We've shared details in the table below, but read our guide to getting cheaper drop-off airport parking for nationwide advice.
| Airport | Drop-off charges | Payment deadline | Penalty charge | Free airport drop-off alternative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | £5 (5 mins), £6.40 (10 mins), £25 (up to 30 mins), max stay 30 mins | Midnight next day | £100 (reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days) | Thorley Lane, next to Jetparks 1, with free shuttle bus 24/7 to terminals |
| Birmingham Premium Set Down | £6 (15 mins), £11 (20 mins), £23 (30 mins), £59 (60 mins), prices vary thereafter | Within 24 hours | ‘In accordance with British Parking Association guidelines’ | Drop-Off car park is free for first 10 mins, 5-10 minutes’ walk from terminal, with shuttle buses available |
| London Stansted | £10 (15 mins), £28 (over 15 mins), max stay 30 mins | Midnight next day | £100 (reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days) | Mid Stay car park is free for 60 mins, with free shuttle bus 24/7 to terminals |
| London Heathrow Drop-off Chargeable Zones | £7 | Midnight next day | £80 (reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days) | Park & Ride car parks are free for first 29 minutes, with free bus shuttle |
| London Gatwick Drop Off | £10 for 10 minutes, then £1 per minute up to max stay of 30 minutes, max daily charge £26 | Midnight next day | - | Long Stay North and South Terminal Car Parks are free for 2 hours, with free shuttle bus |
| London Luton Pick Up (and Drop Off) | £7 for 10 minutes, then £1 per minute thereafter, max stay 30 mins | Midnight next day | - | Long Stay Car Park is free for up to 2 hours, with free shuttle buses every 10 minutes |
| East Midlands Rapid Drop Off Zone | £5 up to 15 minutes, £1 per minute thereafter, max stay 30 mins | Midnight next day | - | £5 up to 15 minutes, £1 per minute thereafter, max stay 30 mins |
Drop-off charges and free parking alternatives last checked on 23 March 2026. A dash indicates we were unable to obtain this information.
