A County Down-based artist has launched a petition calling for Belfast’s two airports to abolish charges for people dropping off or collecting passengers near the terminal.
Martin Della Vecchia, who lives in Dromore, having been based in Northern Ireland for almost 20 years, says he would usually use Dublin Airport to travel and when collecting family coming over from Europe.
But a recent experience, he told Armagh I, left him feeling embarrassed and questioning why such charges actually exist.
“A friend from Edinburgh came to visit me,” he explained. “She is an elderly woman. She’s not disabled, so there was no badge in the car or anything. But she can’t really walk that much.
“I just felt sorry because she doesn’t have much money, and then she wanted to pay me, and I said, it’s not a problem, but she felt awkward because of that, because she had to pay. I said, of course I was going to pay.
“I thought this actually affects people. Apart from that, I think that it’s ridiculous that you have to pay for a service that should be free, if you are just dropping somebody for a minute and then you’re leaving.
“I sent them an email, complaining about it, and they said, ‘well, you could always park in the long term car park and walk’. That’s not a good service if you have to do that.
“On top of that, Belfast International is in the middle of nowhere. Land is not expensive there. So, I’m thinking, why are you not offering this service?
“And if Belfast City Airport tell me that it’s in the middle of a city, I would kind of understand it because it’s in the city and things are more expensive. But in the middle of nowhere that we have to pay so much for parking, and we basically have to be customers, we don’t have options. In this case, I didn’t have an option. My friend couldn’t walk for that far, so I had to pay. I had to pay for something that should be free.”
Martin explained that Belfast City Airport charges £4 for up to 10 minutes in its express area, while Belfast International’s minimum charge is £5.
Although the airports provide limited free options in long stay car parks, the longer walk with luggage, he insists, can be “impractical”, especially for older or disabled passengers and families with young children.
Added Martin: “I am not campaigning for free parking or prolonged waiting. The request is for free access for a quick, safe drop-off or collection in a designated area close to each terminal.
“I travel frequently. Of course you encounter this problem of expensive things inside the airport, but paying for pick-up and drop-off, that is shocking to me.
“They got back to me from Belfast International Airport, saying that in all the UK you have to pay, and they are proud it is one of the cheapest places all around the UK.
“That’s not an excuse, saying that in other places in the UK you have to pay, and you have to put that levy on us.
“Thinking of every single place that I went to, I have never seen that anywhere. The airports that I am familiar with I never heard of such a thing.
“I am always travelling from Dublin Airport, and certainly, I use that a lot for family whenever they come over to visit me. I pick them up from Dublin Airport. Basically, whenever they exit, the pick-up is right there outside. You just have to walk like 10 metres, the automatic doors open and that’s where your pick-up is, next to the taxis, and you don’t pay anything.
“Dublin Airport already offers designated free drop-off zones. There is no reason Belfast’s airports cannot adopt a similarly fair approach while maintaining safety and managing traffic.
“It certainly can be done and, if Dublin Airport, which is a much busier airport, does it, I don’t know why Belfast airports don’t do it.”
Martin hopes, by launching the petition, he can bring attention to the issue and public pressure can bring about change.
“I hope that at least one politician takes over and just talks about it and hopefully the news media as well,” he said.
“I think that we should definitely start talking about the excessive charges. I think that everybody’s angry by the amount of what we have to pay, for food and for everything. When we are at the airport, we don’t have choices. We are being told that it’s a free market where people can compete, but that is not true in an airport.
“So bringing that conversation and putting that out there, I think that is very important.”
Armagh I contacted both airports for comment.
A spokesperson for Belfast City said: “Belfast City Airport provides 10 minutes’ free for passengers dropping off or picking up in its long stay car park, just a short walk from the terminal. Blue Badge holders can also avail of up to two hours’ free parking to drop off or pick up passengers in the short stay car park.”
At the time of publishing Belfast International Airport had not responded.
Anyone who would like to sign the petition can do so here.
