Airport doubles baggage trolley fee
04.07.10
The cost of hiring a trolley at Luton Airport has doubled to £2, and there's no refund once you have finished, the Mirror reports. Around 10 million passengers who use the airport each year will be affected by the big price hike, introduced last Thursday, just in time for the peak summer holiday season.
The increase has been imposed by trolley operator Bagport, which the newspaper suggests will reap huge extra profits. A spokesman for the airpor said: ‘This has been done at Bagport's discretion. Luton Airport has neither asked for this increase nor will it stand to benefit from it.’ However, we find this had to believe, given the airport would have given the contract to the company. Most operators have a revenue share with companies that operate within their airport, and the airport would certainly benefit when the contract is up for renewal.
A passenger told the newspaper: ‘It is a racket. When you consider airport parking charges, taxes, check-in fees and the cost of eating and drinking while waiting for a flight, the add-ons now cost as much as the flights.’
Trolleys at Heathrow are free while a £1 or €1 refundable deposit is needed at Gatwick and Stansted. Last year Luton, Britain's fourth-busiest airport, became the first in the country to charge for dropping off passengers. A number of other airports including Newcastle, Cardiff and Belfast have now followed suit.
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