Man fined £200 at East Midlands Airport for early payment

A 68-year-old man from Clifton has been issued £200 in parking fines at East Midlands Airport despite paying the required fee for using the rapid drop-off area. Kevin Smith used the service to drop off his son for a flight and later collect him, paying £5 for each visit via a mobile app in late June. He subsequently received two penalty charge notices of £100 each, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days, leaving him confused and vowing to contest the charges.

The airport's rapid drop-off zone operates with a barrier-free Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera system, allowing drivers to stop directly outside the terminal. The tariff is £5 for stays up to 15 minutes, with an additional £1 per minute thereafter, capped at a 30-minute maximum. Payment cannot be made with cash or at on-site machines; drivers must pay online or by phone by midnight on the day following their visit.

Smith stated that his drop-off on June 30 took nine minutes and the subsequent collection took six minutes, with £5 successfully debited from his account for each transaction. However, officials indicated the fines were issued because Smith completed his payments while his vehicle was still within...