MOTORISTS dropping passengers off at Southampton Airport will now be charged £4 for 20-minute stays. 

The new charge to use the airport's Express drop off facilities has been brought in following a review into its pricing. 

From today (June 14), people dropping off passengers will be charged £4 for 20 minutes. 

Blue badge holders with a valid badge will be entitled to a free 30-minute period in the disabled parking at the short stay car park. 

In a bid to "operate in a more sustainable manner", the airport is allowing those with electric vehicles to use the drop off facility for free for the first 20 minutes. 

It is the first time the pricing structure has been revised since 2018. 

Steve Szalay, Operations Director at Southampton Airport, said: “It will take years for the airport to return to pre-covid levels.

"The impact saw key routes lost and passenger numbers down by more than 90% at times.

“Our airport is a critical piece of national infrastructure which demands continual investment, and we continue to do this at Southampton Airport investing in our long-term sustainability strategy and by introducing this Electric Vehicle registered scheme to provide 20-minute free access to our Express Drop Off is the first of many measures we look to introduce.

“It’s imperative we start what will be a long recovery process at Southampton Airport to restore the regional connectivity that the region relies on so heavily.”

Electric vehicle users must pre-register for free access for the first 20 minutes through the airport website.