Update: Parking, drop-off & pick-up charges at Manchester Airport

In a letter last month to the Manchester Airport Group (MAG) about our concerns with parking, drop-off & pick-up charges at Manchester Airport, we called for: a full review of signage approaching the airport, at terminals, and immediately on arrival is undertaken; an end to the practice of stacking up charges; a review of the appeals process, given unsuccessful appeals increase penalties further; and the airport to publish data on income from the drop-off and collection charges, so there is transparency on how much is made through duplicate charges and late payments.

In response to this, we welcome their confirmation that:

they are undertaking a project to review signage across Manchester Airport as it transitions to a two-terminal operation; and

they are looking at ways to automate our services, improving the customer experience at the airport as a way of reducing the practice of stacking up charges.

While these measures are encouraging, we know more needs to be done. To improve the transparency and fairness for local people, we are putting forward some suggestions to the MAG. These include:

a 𝘁𝗮𝗽-𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁, with an option to pay online;

an 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗱 from 24 hours to 48 hours;

𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘀 immediately, so that only one fee is due per visit;

allowing ‘𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀’ 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹, so if an unsuccessful appeal was made during the ‘discounted’ period, the lower amount would be due, rather than it defaulting to the higher figure; and

ensuring 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆, so there is the ability to exit without incurring a fee so that drivers can make an informed decision about whether to enter into the parking charge contract.

We will continue to make representations to Manchester Airport Group to ensure the appeals process is fair and doesn’t incentivise people feel they have wrongly been penalised to not appeal through fear of receiving a larger penalty for appealing; and to push for data to be published on the airport’s income from the drop-off and collection charges.

We want a charging system that is fairer and more transparent for local people in Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton.

For further detail, see the letter we sent in response to the reply from the MAG in-full on my Facebook page.