A dad was left baffled after being hit with a £200 fine at a busy airport despite having already paid for a ticket.
Kevin Smith, 68, was using the facility’s rapid drop-off zone to take his son to catch a flight, and subsequently to collect him upon his return. He paid the £5 charge for both airport trips at East Midlands Airport but was left feeling “confused” when he was handed penalties totalling £200.
While Mr Smith settled the charges, the Nottingham Post understands he fell foul of a separate payment regulation. The drop-off zone operates via a barrier-free ANPR camera system, allowing motorists to leave their vehicle directly outside the airport’s terminal building.
View 2 ImagesKevin Smith used the East Midlands Airport rapid drop-off zone(Image: Getty)
Drivers are charged £5 for up to 15 minutes, with an additional £1 for every minute beyond that – up to a maximum of half an hour. Payments cannot be made using cash or at any on-site payment barriers, with drivers instead required to pay online or by phone before midnight on the day following their airport visit.
Mr Smith and his son chose to use the app to make payment on both the drop-off and pick-up occasions, with the former occurring on June 30. The Clifton resident states he spent nine minutes in the drop-off zone during the outward visit and six minutes during the return trip, with £5 being deducted from his account on both occasions.
Despite this, Mr Smith still received fines of £100 for each visit, with both reduced to £60 if settled within 14 days. Mr Smith said: “They took the money on both occasions for the rapid drop-off. We paid on the app, we followed the rules, the money left the account and then they had the cheek to give me £60 fines.
“This isn’t just about me, but about people who might not have a phone or who are just stuck in a bit of a bubble. I think it’s so unfair. It was my first time going to East Midlands Airport and it was very confusing. I think they need to make it a lot simpler for people.”
The Nottingham Post understands the penalties were issued because Mr Smith made the payment while still within the rapid drop-off area. A notification on the app advises customers they should ensure they’ve departed the forecourt before processing payment.
An East Midlands Airport spokesperson commented: “We introduced an improved layout and clear signage last year which we’re satisfied provides a better customer experience.”
A spokesperson for parking operator APCOA stated: “Customers are advised on the payment screen that vehicles must have left the drop off area before a payment is made. Customers then have until midnight the following day to pay for their visit.”
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Mr Smith’s first penalty has already been cancelled and he’s awaiting a response from APCOA regarding the second, but he added: “I will not pay and I will fight it in court if I have to.”
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