More than half of the UK’s international airports do not have free drinking water fountains installed in their departure lounges, a leading consumer website has revealed.
As a result, thirsty travellers are being left to buy expensive bottled water from airside retailers or forced to ask for water at bars and restaurants, according to MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE).
MSE asked 30 UK international airports if passengers can fill up free of charge at a water fountain after going through security. While many of the bigger airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted, do have fountains on the airside, 18 said they did not.
The website is now calling on the bosses of these airports – which include Cardiff, London City, London Southend, Liverpool John Lennon and Newcastle – to introduce this “basic” but important facility.
For more than a decade – as a result of tougher security rules – passengers have not been allowed to take liquids of more than 100ml through security at airports.Passengers are also routinely encouraged to throw away bottles before security checks, although the Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that they are allowed to take an empty bottle through security to fill up before getting on the plane.
“It can be infuriating for passengers to have to abandon bottles of water before going through security, then shell out for pricey bottles in the departure lounge,” said Steve Nowottny, news and features editor at MSE.
“Taking an empty bottle through security and then filling it up at a water fountain is the simplest answer – we’ve had a massive response from users since publishing a list of airport water fountains earlier this summer. We’re now urging airports that don’t already have fountains to take action and install them as soon as possible, ensuring all passengers can fill up for free.”
The Guardian has recently highlighted the scourge of single-use plastic drinks bottles, fuelled by consumers who are too embarrassed to ask a pub or restaurant for a glass of tap water or a refill of their empty bottle.
