PASSENGER FINED £200 AT EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT DESPITE PAYING DROP-OFF CHARGE

Kevin Smith, 68, received £200 in parking penalties at East Midlands Airport after paying for the rapid drop-off zone on two separate occasions in June and August 2026. Mr Smith used the airport's drop-off facility to take his son to catch a flight and later to collect him upon return. He paid the £5 charge via the airport's mobile app for both visits, spending nine minutes in the drop-off zone during the outward trip and six minutes during the return journey. Despite the payments being deducted from his account, Mr Smith received fines of £100 for each visit, which were subsequently reduced to £60 if settled within 14 days.

The rapid drop-off zone operates via a barrier-free ANPR camera system located directly outside the terminal building. The facility charges £5 for up to 15 minutes, with an additional £1 for every minute beyond that, up to a maximum of half an hour. Payments must be made online or by phone before midnight on the day following the airport visit; cash and on-site payment barriers are not accepted. According to reports, Mr Smith fell foul of a separate payment regulation despite settling his parking charges correctly.

Mr Smith told the Nottingham Post that he found the situation confusing, stating: "They took the money on both occasions for the rapid drop-off. We paid on the app, we followed the rules, the money left the account and then they had the cheek to give me £60 fines." He expressed concern that the system disadvantages those without mobile phones or who find the payment process unclear. East Midlands Airport posted guidance on social media this week advising passengers to check parking and drop-off information before travelling, without addressing the circumstances of Mr Smith's case.