I was just dropping someone off and stopped for 5 minutes — how did I get a charge?

Free drop-off zones typically have maximum stays of 10–20 minutes; some airports charge for any stop outside a designated zone. If the zone boundaries or time limits were not clearly signed from your approach lane, raise inadequate signage under BPA CoP s.18.3. If you stayed under 10 minutes and the permitted period was 10 minutes or more, grace-period grounds also apply.

The airport's free drop-off zone was full so I stopped briefly elsewhere — any defense?

Possibly. If there was no reasonable alternative drop-off point and the signs did not warn you that stopping anywhere else would incur a charge, a mitigating circumstances argument is available. Document the circumstances in writing as part of your Stage 1 appeal.

Can the airport cancel the ticket if I contact them directly?

The airport authority typically has no power to cancel a private operator's charge — APCOA and ParkingEye operate under contract and run their own appeals process. You need to go through the operator's formal appeal route.

I have a receipt from the short-stay barrier — why did I still get a charge?

ANPR–barrier discrepancies are a known issue at short-stay car parks. The ANPR system sometimes records a different exit time than the barrier ticket shows. Submit your barrier receipt with your Stage 1 appeal — it is strong evidence of your actual departure time.

Airport Parking Ticket — What to Do Next

By GetRighted Legal Research TeamLast updated July 2026

Summary

Airport car park and drop-off zone tickets are typically issued by APCOA or ParkingEye under contract with the airport authority. Drop-off zone signage at UK airports is frequently unclear from the approach lane — making inadequate signage one of the most effective grounds. Free drop-off zones have short maximum stays that are not always clearly marked; if you exceeded them by a small margin, the grace period and signage arguments combine. You have 28 days from the Notice to Keeper to submit Stage 1.

Immediate Actions

Act within 48 hours:

✓Identify the operator from the PCN — most UK airport charges are APCOA or ParkingEye
✓Note the exact location: drop-off zone, short-stay, mid-stay, or long-stay car park
✓If possible, return to photograph signs from driver's eye height at the point you stopped
✓Keep the NtK envelope — check postmark against 14-day POFA rule
✓Note your flight booking or terminal records to support any genuine passenger argument
✓Do not pay before deciding to appeal

Appeal Steps

Challenging an airport parking charge:

1Day 1–28 from NtK: Submit Stage 1 to the operator with photographs and flight evidence
2APCOA occasionally concedes airport drop-off cases at Stage 1 with good photo evidence
3If rejected: Request POPLA reference (BPA operators)
4Submit POPLA appeal within 28 days of reference
5POPLA decision: Independent assessment binding on operator

Which Defenses Apply

Inadequate signage: airport drop-off zone signs are frequently approached at speed and from multiple directions — BPA CoP s.18.3 requires signs clearly visible from each stopping point. Drop-off zone confusion: where the permitted free period is short (e.g. 15 minutes) and not clearly marked at the entrance, the contractual terms may not be incorporated. Grace period: BPA CoP s.13 requires 10 minutes after the permitted period before a charge may be issued. POFA 2012 timing: ANPR NtKs must be dispatched within 14 days.

What to Expect

Airport operators issue charges at high volume and contest most appeals. APCOA is noted for being relatively responsive to drop-off case evidence at Stage 1 — good photographs taken from the approach lane and stopping point sometimes achieve a Stage 1 cancellation. For charges from large airport car parks (short-stay or long-stay), signage and POFA grounds follow the same pattern as any BPA operator. POPLA data shows approximately 50% overall success rate.

Sources

Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4
BPA Code of Practice, Sections 13 and 18.3
POPLA Annual Report (latest published edition)

Frequently Asked Questions

I was just dropping someone off and stopped for 5 minutes — how did I get a charge?: Free drop-off zones typically have maximum stays of 10–20 minutes; some airports charge for any stop outside a designated zone. If the zone boundaries or time limits were not clearly signed from your approach lane, raise inadequate signage under BPA CoP s.18.3. If you stayed under 10 minutes and the permitted period was 10 minutes or more, grace-period grounds also apply.
The airport's free drop-off zone was full so I stopped briefly elsewhere — any defense?: Possibly. If there was no reasonable alternative drop-off point and the signs did not warn you that stopping anywhere else would incur a charge, a mitigating circumstances argument is available. Document the circumstances in writing as part of your Stage 1 appeal.
Can the airport cancel the ticket if I contact them directly?: The airport authority typically has no power to cancel a private operator's charge — APCOA and ParkingEye operate under contract and run their own appeals process. You need to go through the operator's formal appeal route.
I have a receipt from the short-stay barrier — why did I still get a charge?: ANPR–barrier discrepancies are a known issue at short-stay car parks. The ANPR system sometimes records a different exit time than the barrier ticket shows. Submit your barrier receipt with your Stage 1 appeal — it is strong evidence of your actual departure time.

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