Unfair fines at Manchester Airport have left me reconsidering future travel plans - Steve Teale

I’m not saying I won’t use Manchester again but if there are viable options from other airports then I will use them: Leeds-Bradford, East Midlands, Humberside. Maybe Doncaster, when it gets up and flying again.

The problem? Fines. Or “parking charge” as they prefer to call it.

Twice I have incurred heavy penalties at Manchester through what I believe to be no fault of my own.

I’m an experienced driver. I have driven cars from every major manufacturer in – at the last count – 43 countries. I have negotiated airports in more towns and cities at home and abroad than I can begin to imagine.

On June 19 I committed my first ‘offence’ by using a pick-up/drop off zone without making a valid payment. I paid the fee (£60 for early payment, £100 if I delayed). Stupidly, I paid without challenging. I assumed I must have been at fault.

But then on July 30 I incurred a similar ‘penalty’. This time, I was on my way to the meet-and-greet area where I had heavily prepaid (£120, I think it was). I followed the signs as best I could even though there were so many of them, a more cynical person than I might assume they were almost designed to confuse. There were signs for Drop and Go and various other facilities but I struggled to see meet and greet (M&G).

Eventually, I found it. I probably didn’t go the ideal route but after finding meet-and-greet I left my car. No problem. It was only a couple of weeks later that those nice people at Apcoa Parking contacted me again with another £100 fine or ‘penalty’ (£60 if I paid early) for my ‘mistake’.

I, according to their figures, was in the drop off zone for one minute and 51 seconds (strangely, that’s about the time it takes to ask directions).

In those few seconds I asked someone in a high-viz jacket who directed me to M&G. I would never have located it alone. If there were any signs, they were pretty well concealed.

Apparently, I breached terms and conditions by stopping. The parking charge note says “signs are clearly displayed throughout the area”. I beg to differ.

My view? Manchester Airport and Apcoa are making easy money from passengers like me who have no intention of committing any offence. Even if I was illegally stopping to drop off a passenger I’d have to be a record breaker to unload people and luggage in under two minutes.

I used to recommend Manchester because of its ease of access (good motorway route, almost to the terminal) and sensible parking. I have always found it a pleasant airport, ever since we went on a school trip to the control tower and open-air viewing area in 1972.

But not any more. I would suggest using the trains but they are hit and miss at the moment due to track improvements.

Manchester Airport and Apcoa have been contacted for comment. Both ignored my requests. Not even an acknowledgement to my two emails to both of them

Have you been stung by airport fines? Email [email protected].

Steve Teale is The Yorkshire Post's night news editor and motoring correspondent.