London Gatwick: Drop-off charge increased to £7

The price increase came into effect on Friday, May 2 and will effect drivers dropping off passengers at the airport's forecourts.

The drop off charge fee will be able to be paid online, by phone or by setting up an account.

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “While we have increased our forecourt drop-off charge from £6 to £7, passengers can be dropped off for free in our long-stay car parks, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal. Blue Badge holders remain exempt from the charge.

“The drop off charge helps to limit the number of cars and reduce congestion at the entrance to our terminals and funds a number of sustainable transport initiatives – such as our £1m investment in new and enhanced Metrobus routes in 2025. It also plays a role in encouraging more passengers and staff to use public transport to reach the airport, to achieve our aim for 60% of journeys to and from the airport to be zero or ultra-low emissions, by 2030.”

In response, campaign group CAGNE (Communities Against Gatwick Noise Emissions) has described the price increase as ‘disingenuous’.

"This move must be seen as the most disingenuous by a company seeking such vast growth. Increasing the drop off fee just pushes more commuters and flyers to other rail stations which are simply not able to cope with current levels of passengers. With such congested roads the air quality will inevitably decline, but then I guess this is not Gatwick’s problem, but it will be local authorities and in turn the taxpayer's problem to resolve.

“If Gatwick are serious about pushing flyers onto public transport, then they should be offering far more than £10m mitigation fund.

"How about Gatwick investing the drop off fee into public transport and roads as Gatwick made £599.4m from airport and other traffic charges last year alone as well as £147.8m on parking, profits all up on 2023 results.

"If they are serious about meeting the 54% of flyers arriving by public transport, then they need to be seen as not placing the burden on the taxpayer or flyer as they did with the new station that cost £250m, £200m met by taxpayers.”