Manchester Airport rule change leaves motorists at risk of being fined when dropping off loved ones
Motorists are at greater risk of fines when using airport drop-off zones this summer, new research has revealed.
With seven major UK airports having removed exit barriers to help traffic flow through drop-off areas, drivers will need to remember to pay for parking once they get home or risk receiving a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) of up to £100.
While some barrierless airports offer automated payment options, others rely on motorists being aware of the payment process and remembering to log on and pay the drop-off charges once they get home.
Manchester is among the airports with barrierless drop-off zones since the 26th of March 2025.
With five airports having introduced the new barrierless exits this year alone, Motorpoint surveyed 2,000 UK car owners to find out what they think about the new system. 21% of people admitted it makes giving people a lift to the airport more stressful.
According to the research, 2.4 million motorists have already been fined when dropping off or collecting someone from the airport.
Ben Custard, driving expert at Motorpoint, said: “It’s understandable that airports want to reduce congestion in drop-off areas, but switching to a barrierless system with little to no warning can have major financial implications for drivers.”
He said: “We’ve already seen instances where motorists have been unclear about how to pay or mistakenly thought parking charges had been removed, only to receive a fine later. Dropping someone at the airport can already be hectic, so it’s not unthinkable that motorists could miss the signage airports have in place to explain the new system – particularly if it’s not very prominent once already inside the drop-off zone.”
Adding: “Even if you’ve used an airport drop-off zone recently, my advice to everyone would be to check the airport’s website to make sure you’re clear on the current rules and how to pay. If you are dropping someone at an airport that no longer allows you to pay when exiting the drop-off area and can set up autopayment in advance, I recommend doing so. It’s not only one less thing to remember but means there’s no chance of you being fined.”