Airport runs are one of the most profitable ways for PCO drivers to make money. They often involve long journeys and come with high tips. However, there’s one thing that catches many PCO drivers off-guard: airport drop-off charges. Just like Heathrow, Gatwick, and Luton, Stansted has a fee as well.
Every PCO driver who uses designated zones to drop off passengers at Stansted airport must pay this fee, and it’s non-refundable. In this article, we will look at everything related to Stansted drop-off charge so you are never caught off guard. Let’s dive in!
What is Stansted airport drop-off charge?
Stansted airport drop-off charge is a £7 fee that you have to pay for using the Express Set Down drop-off zone for up to 15 minutes. It doesn’t matter if you are driving your own car or got one through PCO car hire, using the zone means you have to pay the fee. If you stay in the zone longer than 15 minutes, you will be charged £25, which is reduced to £20 if you re-enter the zone within 30 minutes of leaving it.
The fee may not sound a lot at first but if you are a frequent user of Stansted airport, it can quickly pile up. 5 trips a day? That’s £35 gone.
Because of these fees, many drivers consider avoiding airport runs. However, the truth is that airport drop-offs are highly profitable if you do them the smart way. For instance, if you have just dropped a passenger at the airport and instead of returning in an empty car, you wait for the incoming flight arrivals and pick up passengers, you can easily offset the cost.
What happens if you don’t pay the Stansted drop-off charge?
Stansted drop-off charge is not an optional fee that you can ignore. Non-payment results in a £100 fine, which is reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.
The airport has a strict and very advanced system to make sure that all the drivers pay this fee. Here’s how it works:
The airport uses automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, which record your vehicle’s details every time it enters the drop-off zone. It doesn’t matter if you use the zone for 10 seconds or 10 minutes, once your vehicle has been recorded, you must pay the fee by 12 AM of the following day.
Some drivers try to drop passengers outside the Express Set Down Zone. Doing so is illegal and if caught, may result in an even bigger fine.
How to pay the Stansted drop-off charge?
There are two ways to pay Stansted drop off charges: via website and automatic ticket machines. You can use credit/debit cards when paying through automatic ticket machines. These machines are located inside and outside the terminal and require you to provide your car’s registration number after entering your card.
Next, the machine fetches the data captured by ANPR cameras and shows a message on the screen asking to confirm the payment. Once your payment has been successfully processed, you will receive a confirmation text.
If you want to pay through the website, you will:
- Have to visit the official Stansted website
- Open the drop-off charge payment page
- Provide your vehicle registration number
- Make the payment
You will receive a confirmation email if the payment is successful.
Can I contest the PCN?
Contesting penalty charge notice is allowed, but the proof you provide must be solid enough to reverse the PCN. Here are some cases in which the penalty charge notice can be reversed:
- You paid the drop-off zone but the system somehow missed it.
- Your car wasn’t even in the drop-off zone when you were issued the notice.
When contesting the PCN, the 14-day period to reduce the fine still counts. If the proceedings take longer than 14 days, that means you will have to pay the full £100 fine. To avoid this, make sure you pay the fine within 14 days. That way, if you lose, you won’t lose £100. And if you win, you can always request a refund.
Are there any alternative drop-off options available at Stansted?
Yes, there are other options as well such as Short Stay Car Park and Mid Stay Car Park. In Short Stay, you can use:
- Blue car park which is closer to the terminal and costs £10 for up to 30 minutes.
- Green car park which is slightly away from the terminal and costs £18 for one hour.
- Orange car park which is located at a great distance from the terminal and costs £22 for two hours.
- You can use any of the above for up to 4 hours for just £35.
If you want a more affordable option, use Mid Stay Car Park which is free for the first 60 minutes and costs £5 for the next hour. However, if you use it for more than two hours, you will have to pay a full-day fee of £45.
Conclusion
Stansted drop-off charge is an unavoidable cost for those who use the airport’s Express Set Down Zone. However, this cost can be significantly reduced if you use Short Stay Car Park or Mid Stay Car Park.
Airport runs are typically long-distance rides that result in high fares. By waiting for flight arrivals and picking up passengers on your return, you can significantly improve your earnings and offset these charges. Instead of looking at this fee as an obstacle, think of it as an investment and paying it will feel less stressful.