The biggest ever airport rip-off

Robert Powell hits the streets to get your take on what the biggest airport rip-offs are...

Stressed out families, never-ending queues and moody staff; just three reasons why I hate airports.

But as well as being busy, stressful, noisy and unreliable – airports are increasingly also becoming a massive rip-off.

Whether it’s £5 sarnis from the cafe or £2 for a clear plastic bag to store your toothpaste and shower gel in – it’s now essential to keep a few pounds aside when you change over your currency for these extortionate expenses.

What’s the biggest airport rip-off?

Most of the people I spoke to today thought that the high cost of food and drink at the airport was the biggest rip-off.

One person also mentioned airport parking – a sneaky cost that does indeed seem to have been on the up recently.

A Which? investigation into airport parking found that the priciest car parks were at London airports – while charges at airports in North of England were the lowest.

Heathrow was found to have the most expensive parking in the country with a charge of £53.95 for seven days with the provider Purple Parking. That’s compared to just £19.84 up in Manchester for the same deal with the same company.

Another charge that’s sure to infuriate stressed out, jet-setting smokers in Belfast is the recent levy the airport has introduced on people wanting to have a cigarette before boarding their flight.

A recipe for disaster if you ask me!

But airports aren’t the only places where rip-off charges can be found; budget airlines like Ryanair and easyJet have been doing it for years.

Are 'budget' airlines really budget options anymore?

Fees can quickly inflate budget airline fares to levels equivalent to those charged by more mainstream carriers – especially if you are carrying a lot of luggage.

For example, Ryanair charges a £6 administration fee per person, per flight as well as substantial baggage fees ranging from £15 to £45 if booked in advance online. A charge of £40 is also levied on any sports equipment of musical instruments you carry.

What’s more, these baggage fees are even higher and can stretch up to £85 if you book them over the phone or at the airport.

What do you do to avoid rip-off airport charges?

The simple way to avoid baggage fees is to travel light and stick to carry-on luggage.

Changing your currency before your leave home is another good idea; as exchange rates at the airport are usually fairly poor.

You can also avoid flight admin fees by booking using a pre-paid MasterCard, as most budget airlines waive their fees for customers using this type of card. However, the downside of this is that you won’t be protected by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act like you would be if you used a credit card. This gives you protection if something goes wrong after you’ve bought your flight tickets.

You should also book your bus or train to the airport, or parking if you plan on driving, in advance – or look for a driveway to rent out if you can’t find a cheap car park.

While it’s fairly easy to beat airport rip-offs by just planning ahead and staying organised, there are some flight nightmares that are unavoidable - delays, cancellations and lost luggage to name just three.

The best way to make sure you’re not left out of pocket if one of these disasters hits you is by taking out a full travel insurance policy.

And you can compare the cheapest policies and get the best deal right here at lovemoney.com

What do you think?

What's the biggest airport rip-off? How do you save money when travelling by air?

Let us know in the comment box below.

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