It's a drop-off fee free-for-all

Simon Calder on charges for driving friends to the airport

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Airports in the UK are sometimes accused of a “race to the bottom” in terms of anything from the length of security queues to the general ambiance.

Controversially, I believe our airports are getting better all the time. Most passengers at Manchester, for example, enjoy a proper 21st-century experience in the spruced-up Terminal 2. But there is one topic in which they are engaged in a race to the top - specifically, who has the highest drop-off fee? And in the course of three days, that table will change dramatically.

As of today, a cluster of airports are in first place with a £7 charge for stopping outside the terminal to allow passengers and their baggage out. Among the London airports, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted all demand seven quid. So do others around the country, including Bristol, Leeds Bradford, and Southampton. One major airport, London City, stands out for making no charge.