*****This article has been amended as it previously incorrectly referred to the airport’s drop-off fees.*****
Edinburgh airport has raised the price of its passenger pick-up fee.
The fee was introduced several years ago, and was last raised in December 2017.
This time the new charge, which is effective immediately, makes Edinburgh among the most expensive UK airport (for this fee) – Birmingham airport’s pick-up fees start from £5.50.
The new charges at Edinburgh airport mean pick-up customers will have to pay £5 for the first 15 minutes, rising to £9 for 30 minutes, with further increases thereafter.
The news hasn’t gone down well in Scotland where the airport has been branded “bandits”.
The airport will maintain, as it has done previously, that the charge is necessary for reasons of congestion and so on.
But airport users lament the lack of public transport from areas away from the airport.
Edinburgh airport is connected to the city centre by tram and bus services but, although a railway passes just a few hundred yards from the airfield, there is no link to the mainline.
Were Edinburgh to be linked to the mainline there would be less need for regional domestic flying which continues to increase.
Earlier this year the airport announced plans to spend over £20 million on improving transport access, including a new East Terminus which is scheduled to open next summer. But this will still not provide connection to the railway mainline.
A spokesperson for Edinburgh airport has provided Business Traveller with the following statement:
“Problems with congestion in and around the airport are well known and we have to proactively combat that and persuade people to leave the car at home and use public transport where possible. Planned investment in a new access road will also go towards alleviating that problem further and we hope to have planning permission early next year.
“We appreciate that not everyone will be able to use alternative methods of transport which is why we have trebled the free time available in our Long Stay Car Park and continue to provide a free drop off zone for those who still need to bring their car to the airport.”
Last year when the former CEO of regional carrier Flybe accused Edinburgh of discrimination it was claimed that the carrier was this airport’s second biggest customer handling well over 600,000 passengers a year.
Since then Easyjet says it will compete with Flybe on the Birmingham route.
