Airports are raking in extra cash from holidaymakers by hiking up charges on drop-off parking.
Drivers are being charged up to £25 to set down relatives and friends at terminals, the Sunday Mirror found.
Consumer experts called the charges “outrageous” and accused bosses of “monetising every aspect” of airport use from car parks to trolley hire.
Stansted in Essex charges the biggest minimum fee of £4 for 10 minutes.
Drivers then have to pay £1 a minute and are hit with a £25 fee if they stay for more than 15 minutes.
Luton’s drop-off fee has risen from £3 to £4, although the time limit has gone up from 10 minutes to 13.
East Midlands has increased its drop-off fee from £2 to £3 for 10 minutes.
Of 10 airports we assessed, only Heathrow and Gatwick allow drivers to set down passengers for free.
Our findings come as schools break up for summer and thousands of families prepare to jet off on holiday.
Airports say the fees are imposed to deter drivers from causing congestion by sitting waiting outside terminals.
But Martyn Jawes of consumer complaints website Resolver said: “The French call airport drop-offs ‘kiss and wave’ but we Brits might as well call ours ‘cash or card’.”
