Bristol Airport has defended a 33% hike in the charge for coaches to drop off or pick up.
One operator, which wished to remain anonymous, complained to routeone after the fee for coaches, buses and 16-seat-plus minibuses rose from ÂŁ12 to ÂŁ16.
“While this may not seem a great amount, we quote for hires sometimes up to three months or more ahead of time and feel that these organisations should make operators aware of their intentions in advance,” says the operator.
In response, Bristol Airport points to plans to invest more than ÂŁ60 million in a public transport interchange, which it says will offer improved facilities for coach passengers and will be one of the biggest coach and bus interchanges in the region when it is complete in summer 2025.
A statement from the airport reads: “Our recent price rise is the first for several years. Our pricing for coach parking remains very competitive compared to other major airports, with a simple fee structure in place.
“Consulting the countless coach operators across the South West of England and South Wales ahead of price changes isn’t feasible, but we are always open to discussing working together with coach companies.”
