Why should someone have to pay £4 or £5 simply to drop off or collect a family member at an airport?

At Belfast City Airport, drivers currently pay £4 for up to 10 minutes in the express drop-off and pick-up area. At Belfast International Airport, the minimum charge is £5.

These are not necessarily people parking for hours. They are parents dropping off their children, families welcoming relatives home, friends helping one another with luggage, and people assisting elderly or vulnerable passengers.

Both airports offer free alternatives in their long-stay car parks, but these require passengers to walk further.

We believe that dropping someone off or collecting them should be free in a designated area close to the terminal.

Dublin Airport already offers designated free drop-off zones. There is no reason Belfast’s airports cannot adopt a similarly fair approach while maintaining safety and managing traffic.

We call upon the management of Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport to:

• Introduce free drop-off and pick-up access near both terminals.
• Ensure genuinely accessible arrangements for elderly passengers, disabled travellers and families with young children.
• Engage with passengers and consumer representatives to develop a fairer system.

Airports are essential gateways connecting people, families and communities. They should not turn the simple act of saying hello or goodbye into another opportunity to collect a fee.