London Stansted Airport is set to introduce a new barrier-free drop-off system employing Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology, aiming to streamline the passenger drop-off process starting in late January.
Customers will need to pay the drop-off charge by midnight the day after their visit, with no option to pay upon exiting the drop-off area, while frequent users can register for an auto-pay account.
The airport currently charges between £7 for 15 minutes and £25 for longer stays, with additional fees for re-entry within a short period; no changes to these charges have been confirmed yet.
This initiative is part of a larger £1.1bn investment plan to enhance the travel experience, including a terminal extension designed to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion at the airport.
Anita Harrison, London Stansted’s customer operations director, shared: “We recently announced our five-year £1.1bn investment programme that will deliver wide-ranging benefits at every touch point of a passenger’s journey while at the airport, and this initiative is an example of our commitment to enhance the travel experience at London Stansted.
“The new barrierless system we will introduce in the new year will make dropping-off passengers quicker and more convenient, reducing driver waiting times and helping improve passenger flows.
“We have seen these systems work effectively at other airports and in other settings, such as bridges, toll roads and tunnels and that is why we are confident it will improve the overall experience for users.
“Full details of the new system will be available on our website early in 2025, with new signage also displayed in the ESD area advising users of the pending changes, but it’s important to raise awareness now so drivers have advanced notice of the improvements we are bringing in.”
