Manchester airport charge to pick up and drop off???

[hammergolf]

Man, I Thought NYC and Chicago were the best at shake downs….. Manchester airport takes the art of the shakedown to a new level. What’s next, are they going to charge for breathing air??? I’ve flown to over 30 countries and have NEVER seen an airport charge people to drop off and pick up people. Tell me that the fee at least includes a tube of lube! 

[Stephen_82]

Manchester Airport is possibly the worst airport in the Northern Hemisphere, I truly despise it. And despite living within a 20 minute drive of the airport I will go out of my way to find flights from elsewhere.

 

It’s truly the option of last resort. 

[Chanceman]

8 minutes ago, Stephen_82 said:

Manchester Airport is possibly the worst airport in the Northern Hemisphere, I truly despise it. And despite living within a 20 minute drive of the airport I will go out of my way to find flights from elsewhere.

 

It’s truly the option of last resort. 

What else is bad news there?? Heading that way in September so would like to be prepared. 

[Stephen_82]

5 hours ago, Chanceman said:

What else is bad news there?? Heading that way in September so would like to be prepared. 

The costs to pick up and drop people off, the wildly inefficient security, the poor food options once through security, the poor signage to find the pick up points, the appalling public transport connections, and the insane routing to get to the terminals once you’re off the motorway. 
 

But all that aside, and despite the airport being a complete shambles, it’s actually located in a great spot. You’re almost straight onto the motorway and an hours drive into North Wales down the M56, or 40/50 minutes to Southport and Liverpool and the great run of clubs from West Lancs to Lytham.

[dmbolp]

Got the same thing at EDI last month, think it was $6, didn't see a free way to drop off

[hammergolf]

2 hours ago, Stephen_82 said:

The costs to pick up and drop people off, the wildly inefficient security, the poor food options once through security, the poor signage to find the pick up points, the appalling public transport connections, and the insane routing to get to the terminals once you’re off the motorway. 
 

But all that aside, and despite the airport being a complete shambles, it’s actually located in a great spot. You’re almost straight onto the motorway and an hours drive into North Wales down the M56, or 40/50 minutes to Southport and Liverpool and the great run of clubs from West Lancs to Lytham.

Thanks for the reply. My group is heading to Southport in late September for a week. Was planning on just getting the rental shuttle and then come back to pick up the guys and luggage. Honestly, that’s probably what I will still do because lugging our clubs and bags onto the shuttle, then around the rental lot will be a pain. I guess I just need to pay the £5 extortion amount and consider it a “convenience” fee. It’s bad enough we already get ripped off with ETA shakedown, but charging to pick up and drop off is the worst I’ve ever heard. Anyways, still looking forward to the trip, but would have probably changed our flights to Liverpool had I known this. 

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, dmbolp said:

Got the same thing at EDI last month, think it was $6, didn't see a free way to drop off

Crazy….. 

[st1800e]

4 hours ago, dmbolp said:

Got the same thing at EDI last month, think it was $6, didn't see a free way to drop off

Same here. I think it was £6….. 🤷🏼
 

 

 

 

Edited June 1 by st1800e

[dmbolp]

17 minutes ago, st1800e said:

Same here. I think it was £6….. 🤷🏼

 

Yeah, even worse!! 🙂

 

And it was Bait-and-Switch.  All "Passenger Dropoff" signs directed you into a garage, with no signs of a fee.  But once in there the only way out was to pay.

[hammergolf]

18 minutes ago, dmbolp said:

 

Yeah, even worse!! 🙂

 

And it was Bait-and-Switch.  All "Passenger Dropoff" signs directed you into a garage, with no signs of a fee.  But once in there the only way out was to pay.

I’m mean scamming someone to then extort them…. WTF? 

[SairFecht]

Manchester airport doesn't have the best reputation for efficiency and passenger experience. However as far as I'm aware all airports in the UK now charge for passenger drop offs I don't know of any that don't.

Maybe a few smaller ones don't but certainly all that I have used do.

[act0fgod]

On 6/1/2025 at 3:19 AM, hammergolf said:

Man, I Thought NYC and Chicago were the best at shake downs….. Manchester airport takes the art of the shakedown to a new level. What’s next, are they going to charge for breathing air??? I’ve flown to over 30 countries and have NEVER seen an airport charge people to drop off and pick up people. Tell me that the fee at least includes a tube of lube! 

I think Dallas charges to leave the airport.

 

[scott_Donald]

all airports do now. Aberdeen is £7 now to drop off and pickup. its £8 to park overnight!

 

Supposedly all the money goes directly on airport improvements but who knows.

 

but it gets you to cool places like this, this afternoon. I just sat watching golfers for an hour - 1 birdie and also a guy who cracked under the pressure and took 5 from the fringe.

 

Edited June 3 by scott_Donald

[Chanceman]

On 6/2/2025 at 6:43 PM, SairFecht said:

Manchester airport doesn't have the best reputation for efficiency and passenger experience. However as far as I'm aware all airports in the UK now charge for passenger drop offs I don't know of any that don't.

Maybe a few smaller ones don't but certainly all that I have used do.

Gotta pay for the NHS somehow.

[SairFecht]

4 hours ago, Chanceman said:

Gotta pay for the NHS somehow.

Think most airports in the UK are privately owned though Manchester is partly owned by local authorities, I don't think the income goes towards the NHS

[hammergolf]

On 6/2/2025 at 2:34 PM, scott_Donald said:

all airports do now. Aberdeen is £7 now to drop off and pickup. its £8 to park overnight!

 

Supposedly all the money goes directly on airport improvements but who knows.

 

but it gets you to cool places like this, this afternoon. I just sat watching golfers for an hour - 1 birdie and also a guy who cracked under the pressure and took 5 from the fringe.

 

True, in the grand scheme of things it’s a drop in the bucket. Just hate being scammed. Just add £7 to the plane ticket so at least I don’t feel like I’m getting bent over….

[hammergolf]

On 6/2/2025 at 11:58 AM, act0fgod said:

I think Dallas charges to leave the airport.

 

If true can’t believe anyone beat Chicago to another shakedown scheme.

[scott_Donald]

7 hours ago, hammergolf said:

True, in the grand scheme of things it’s a drop in the bucket. Just hate being scammed. Just add £7 to the plane ticket so at least I don’t feel like I’m getting bent over….

 

most annoying thing really is I took my dad to the airport and picked him up again after his vacation and it cost me £14 to do him a favor.

[hammergolf]

9 hours ago, scott_Donald said:

 

most annoying thing really is I took my dad to the airport and picked him up again after his vacation and it cost me £14 to do him a favor.

No good deed shall go unpunished….. It’s crazy what levels governments will go to extort money from its citizens. Last year the state of Illinois tied to pass a “road use” tax. They wanted to charge everyone for each mile driven each year! Thankfully even our corrupt and clueless politicians didn’t pass it. 
I have a group of clients coming over to St.Andrews and North Berwick next week. Are you guys getting any rain, or are the courses already baked out?

[scott_Donald]

1 hour ago, hammergolf said:

No good deed shall go unpunished….. It’s crazy what levels governments will go to extort money from its citizens. Last year the state of Illinois tied to pass a “road use” tax. They wanted to charge everyone for each mile driven each year! Thankfully even our corrupt and clueless politicians didn’t pass it. 
I have a group of clients coming over to St.Andrews and North Berwick next week. Are you guys getting any rain, or are the courses already baked out?

it’s the airport owners.

 

showers for the last ten days now, royal Aberdeen is amazing condition. Old course looked awesome too. 

[hammergolf]

12 minutes ago, scott_Donald said:

it’s the airport owners.

 

showers for the last ten days now, royal Aberdeen is amazing condition. Old course looked awesome too. 

Good to hear!

[Chanceman]

On 6/5/2025 at 6:17 PM, scott_Donald said:

 

most annoying thing really is I took my dad to the airport and picked him up again after his vacation and it cost me £14 to do him a favor.

I wonder if it’s a roundabout way to give a payoff to the taxi or uber businesses which might benefit if people decide not to pay the fee.

[st1800e]

1 hour ago, Chanceman said:

I wonder if it’s a roundabout way to give a payoff to the taxi or uber businesses which might benefit if people decide not to pay the fee.

Defies logic , it’s simply an additional revenue source for the airport authority.  Some places charge taxis etc fees to access the airport.  
 

Spent 3 weeks in England and Scotland this spring. Played 16 games, most at $$$ courses, flights, Air bnb’s, meals, vehicle rental, etc.   I haven’t added it all up, and I won’t 😉. 
 

£6 doesn’t even register……. same as the £3 bottle of water in the airport.   
 

 

[Chanceman]

On 6/7/2025 at 10:47 PM, st1800e said:

Defies logic , it’s simply an additional revenue source for the airport authority.  Some places charge taxis etc fees to access the airport.  
 

Spent 3 weeks in England and Scotland this spring. Played 16 games, most at $$$ courses, flights, Air bnb’s, meals, vehicle rental, etc.   I haven’t added it all up, and I won’t 😉. 
 

£6 doesn’t even register……. same as the £3 bottle of water in the airport.   
 

 

That’s how they get away with it. Death by a thousand cuts. Next they’ll charge you for using the bathroom. Maybe an arrival tax even? It’s sick. 

[596]

6 minutes ago, Chanceman said:

That’s how they get away with it. Death by a thousand cuts. Next they’ll charge you for using the bathroom. Maybe an arrival tax even? It’s sick. 

The bathroom charge is a thing of the past. Maybe it'll come back.  Very many decades ago bathrooms were coin operated like a pay phone