Airport charges safeguards may be inevitable

The warning today from Which? Holiday over the dangers to consumers of the decision by Edinburgh airport to introduce passenger drop off charges, and their increasing use across the country, is timely.

It is of little comfort to users of Edinburgh Airport that additional charges are becoming common at other airports as they try to generate extra income after being squeezed over landing charges by airlines.

But Which?'s Rochelle Turner is right to warn first that customers should know in advance of using an airport if such charges apply and in saying that if they become widespread there should be consumer safeguards.

However, the argument, advanced by Which? that customers will be able to 'vote with their feet' by distinguising between airports which charge and those that do not is flawed.

Central Scotland may have two airports in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but it would be a considerable inconvenience for passengers if they had to choose one over the other on the basis of what they charge for dropping people off.

We are always reluctant to advocate further controls or regulation of business, but if Edinburgh insists on going ahead with this, and other airports follow suit, it is hard to see how some form of legally binding safeguards to protect consumers can be avoided.