Dad charged £100 after taking '20 seconds' to pick up daughter from Manchester Airport
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GB News
A father was left furious after being hit with a £100 fine for stopping for just 20 seconds to collect his daughter at Manchester Airport's drop-off area.
Lee Mellor, 54, from Bolton, was collecting his 25-year-old daughter from Terminal 3 on Saturday when she returned from a ski trip.
After spotting his daughter waiting with her gear in the drop-off zone, Mellor pulled over to pick her up, only to be immediately penalised for misusing the area.
An airport worker in an orange vest informed Mellor he would be charged £100 for using the drop-off area for collection.
A father was left furious after being hit with a £100 fine for stopping for just 20 seconds to collect his daughter at Manchester Airport's drop-off area
Getty
"He had a real smile on his face which really got to me," Mellor told the Manchester Evening News.
After speaking with an operator at the barrier, the fine was reduced to £60, which Mellor reluctantly paid.
"I was shaking. I was so angry. It was almost like, 'we caught a fish'. I can't believe they're getting away with it," he added.
Manchester Airport introduced its drop-off and pick-up fees in July 2018 to manage traffic flow.
The pick-up area charges £6.20 for up to 15 minutes, increasing to £12.40 for stays between 45 and 60 minutes.
In the drop-off area, drivers are charged £5 for up to five minutes, with the fee rising to £25 for stays exceeding 10 minutes.
Additional fines are imposed on those who misuse the system, which is designed to maintain efficient traffic movement at the airport.
A Manchester Airport spokesperson explained that drop-off areas are strictly reserved for dropping passengers off.
A Manchester Airport spokesperson explained that drop-off areas are strictly reserved for dropping passengers off
Getty"Picking passengers up from them is not permitted under any circumstances because the dwell time when picking passengers up is longer and it would mean the drop-off areas would become congested," they said.
The spokesperson added that designated pick-up areas are positioned close to arrivals at all three terminals, with greater capacity to accommodate longer waiting times.
The airport also offers a free alternative for both pick-ups and drop-offs via their shuttle service.
The service operates from JetParks 1 car park and runs 24 hours a day.
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