Airport to increase the cost of drop-off charges

East Midlands Airport (EMA) is to increase the cost of dropping off passengers outside its terminal.

Bosses said the charge for using its rapid drop-off zone will rise from £5 for a 15-minute slot to £8 for a 10-minute stay from 15:00 BST on Tuesday.

The airport said the move was in response to "significant inflationary pressures".

However, North West Leicestershire MP Amanda Hack said the increase was frustrating for consumers.

The airport said it had not increased the charge for five years and said the cost was still among the lowest of any UK airport.

It said the extra income it would generate through the higher charge would also help fund an ongoing £120m package of investment at the site, near Castle Donington in Leicestershire.

In 2025, the airport replaced barriers with an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system in an attempt to make drop-offs smoother and improve traffic flow.

Under the new system, the rapid drop-off area charge needs to be paid by midnight the day after making the visit either online or by phone.

Anyone who does not pay in time faces a £100 parking charge, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

The airport said there was still alternative free parking for up to an hour in a long-stay car park, which is a 10-minute walk to the terminal.

It said free drop-off parking remained available for blue badge holders in short-stay parking bays close to the terminal.

Hack said: "The announcement by East Midlands Airport of changes to its rapid drop-off pricing and a reduction in the permitted waiting time is frustrating.

"While I welcome the investment the airport has made over the last couple of years, the way the rapid drop-off is currently set up feels stacked against consumers.

"I already deal with numerous complaints from constituents and people across the UK who have received a £100 parking penalty notice because they simply forgot to pay.

"Increasing the price while simultaneously reducing the time allowed is only likely to make this situation worse.

"Many people rely on family or friends to drop them off before heading away on holiday, and in the early hours of the morning, or the stress of the moment, it is very easy to forget to make a payment.

"I have asked the airport on multiple occasions to install a payment machine inside the terminal, allowing family and friends to pay once they have been dropped off.

"However, my concern has always been that the current arrangement at East Midlands Airport appears to set people up to fail."

Hack said she had raised concerns about EMA parking with ministers.

In a statement, the airport said: "Airport drop-off areas help to manage on-site congestion, with charges managing what is the most polluting form of transport to the airport.

"The new fees are proportionate in the context of inflationary increases and brings East Midlands Airport in line with other UK airports.

"The airport is well served by frequent 24/7 bus services from Nottingham, Derby and Leicester and surrounding communities, with stops close to the terminal."

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