Question
I thank the Minister for that answer, but I am sure he recognises that drop-off charges at UK airports have risen sharply in recent years, with Newcastle now charging £6, while London Stansted and Gatwick both charge £10, even though drop-offs are totally free at most major European airports, including eight of Europe’s 10 busiest. The airports justify it as a much-needed income stream, but for many travellers it feels more like pinching the pockets of hard-working families. The Minister mentioned the review; is he able to elaborate on the promise to review those charges? Will the review address the issues of affordability and accessibility for my constituents?
Answer
Let me be clear: we expect airports to treat passengers fairly and to ensure that travel remains accessible. The review is going to look at the impacts of airport drop-off charges on users of airport services. The detailed scope will be developed as part of the review process, but it could include affordability, accessibility, travel behaviour and the experiences of different groups of passengers. More broadly, the Civil Aviation (Consumer Protection and Regulatory Reform) Bill, which has just been through Committee, seeks to modernise the United Kingdom’s aviation legislative framework. One of its key objectives is to strengthen consumer rights and protections, particularly for those who travel with disabilities.17% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (50/100)
The reply partly answers the question. It says the review will examine the impact on airport users and names affordability and accessibility of drop-off charges as matters it could cover, which addresses the second part of the question. However, the detailed scope of the review is deferred to a later stage, and the wording is tentative throughout, so the request for specifics is only partly met. The person who asked would likely need to seek a firmer statement of what the review will cover before they could consider the question fully answered.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What further detail the Government can give on the committed review of airport drop-off charges. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply gives some scope (the review will examine impacts on airport users and could cover affordability, accessibility, travel behaviour and different passenger groups), but it explicitly defers the detailed scope to be developed later, so the request for further detail is only partly met. |
| Whether the review will address the affordability and accessibility of airport drop-off charges for constituents. | Addressed | Direct | The reply names affordability and accessibility of drop-off charges for airport users as matters the review's scope includes, which answers whether the review will address them, though the wording 'could include' leaves some room. |