Last updated: 28 Sep 2021
1 - Application of terms and conditions
1.1 These terms and conditions apply when you enter and use certain roads and areas around the terminal forecourts at Heathrow airport (the “terminal drop-off zones”) to perform a passenger drop-off or for any other purpose. The drop-off zone for each terminal is clearly indicated on signs and road markings. The terms and conditions also apply to payments for the drop-off charge and the drop-off charge account service.
1.2 When you enter a terminal drop-off zone and/or register for the drop-off charge account service, you agree to comply with these terms and conditions.
1.3 In these terms and conditions, references to “the Airport” are references to Heathrow Airport Limited (company number: 1991017, whose registered office is The Compass Centre, Nelson Road, Hounslow, TW6 2GW).
1.4 In these terms and conditions, "you" and "your" refer to any person who enters a terminal drop-off zone and/or registers for the drop-off charge account service and “we” and “us” refers to the Airport. The contract for use of the forecourt and the drop-off charge service is made between you and the Airport. APCOA Parking (UK) Limited (APCOA) is authorised to operate and manage this drop-off charge and the drop-off charge account service on behalf of the Airport.
1.5 The VAT number for Heathrow Airport Limited is 927 3654 04.
2 - The Terminal Drop-Off Charge
2.1 The charge payable by you is displayed on signage at and around the terminal drop-off zones and on our website at www.heathrow.com/dropoff. The charge is payable on each occasion that a vehicle enters a terminal drop-off zone, unless a discount or an exemption applies (see paragraphs 4 and 5 below). The requirement to pay the charge applies 24 hours a day 365 days of the year. The charge must be paid by midnight on the day after your visit.
2.2 Payment of the charge does not permit you to wait in the terminal drop-off zone before or after dropping off a passenger.
2.3 Failure to pay the charge in accordance with these terms and conditions will result in a Parking Charge Notice being issued (see paragraph 6 below).
3 - How to pay the Terminal Drop-Off Charge
3.1 The charge is payable online, by automated telephone service, or by autopay functionality.
Paying as a guest
3.2 You can purchase one or more drop-off charge trips (up to 20 trips at any one time) prior to and up to midnight (23:59:59) on the first consecutive day after the day the charge was incurred.
3.3 Your email address (for receipt purposes) and the vehicle registration number (VRN) for the vehicle accessing the terminal drop-off zone will be required to complete the purchase.
3.4 Trips purchased will be valid for 12 months after which they will expire. Unused trips can be refunded before their expiry. Details on refunds are provided in paragraphs 3.22-3.23.
Accounts
3.5 As well as the option to pay as a guest (see above), there are two types of accounts available to pay the drop-off charge:
3.5.1 Personal Account – this allows you to purchase multiple trips (up to 20 trips in one transaction) for a single chosen vehicle. You will also have the option of setting up automatic payments for any time the registered vehicle accesses a terminal drop-off zone (referred to as AutoPay).
3.5.2 Business Account – this allows multiple vehicles (up to 50,000) to be linked to an account. You will be required to set up AutoPay to automatically take payment when any of the registered vehicles enter a terminal drop-off zone.
3.6 Personal and Business Account holders will be required to register a VRN to their account. A vehicle can only be registered to one account at any one time. If your vehicle is registered to another account, it will need to be removed from that account before being registered to your account.
3.7 If you remove a vehicle from your account, you will still be responsible for any unpaid drop-off charges incurred during the period that the registered vehicle was on your account.
3.8 If you are not the registered keeper of any vehicle which is registered to your account, it is your responsibility to inform the registered keeper or any other driver of that vehicle that you are paying the drop-off charge and/or parking charge notice(s) relating to that vehicle.
Paying the drop-off charge as an account holder
MANUAL PAY
Personal Account
3.9 You can purchase one or more drop-off charge trips at any time by credit or debit card payment prior to and up to midnight (23:59:59) on the first consecutive day after the day the charge was incurred. Trips purchased will be valid for 12 months after which they will expire.
Business Account
3.10 Business accounts are restricted to Autopay only.
AUTOPAY
Registering for Autopay
3.11 Once you have registered for a Personal Account or Business Account, you can set up Autopay. By registering for the Autopay service, you are providing us, via APCOA, with permission to automatically debit a payment card registered by you for each drop-off charge incurred by any vehicle which is registered to your account.
Forecourt usage and charges
3.12 You will be able to review your forecourt usage when logged in to your Personal or Business Account at www.heathrow.com/dropoff. This will indicate how many drop-off charges you have incurred, the registered vehicle(s) that have been detected, which drop-off charges have been paid and which drop-off charges still require payment (if Autopay is not enabled).
Disputing an Autopay drop-off charge
3.13 If you wish to dispute an Autopay drop-off charge you must:
(i) continue to make full payment of the outstanding balance; and
(ii) contact APCOA (see contact details in paragraph 8.13) and give notice that you dispute the drop-off charge within 60 days of the disputed charge being logged to your account.
3.14 It is your responsibility to check the statement for your registered payment method and to raise any disputed payment by the given deadline.
3.15 You will be informed of the outcome of your drop-off charge dispute via your registered account email address. If the dispute is accepted, your Autopay payment card will be refunded to the value of the disputed drop-off charge within 10 days. If the dispute is not accepted, you will be informed via your registered account email address. This decision is final.
Auto-pay cancellation
3.16 We reserve the right to cancel the Autopay service on your account if any of the following occur:
(i) you fail to pay any amounts due, after a request for payment has been sent and the time limit for payment has expired;
(ii) failure to collect payment from a registered Autopay card from the card details that you have provided; or
(iii) you do not comply with these terms and conditions.
3.17 If money is owed or you have committed fraud (including, but not limited to, using a stolen card or identity theft), your details may be passed to the appropriate law enforcement or debt collection agencies.
Account closure
3.18 You can close your account at any time by using desktop or mobile websites. Account closure is permanent and cannot be reversed. When you close your account all vehicles on the account will be removed. You will still be required to settle any outstanding charges or Parking Charge Notices associated with the account.
3.19 Before closing the account, please follow the refund process outlined in paragraphs 3.22-3.33 to be reimbursed for any valid unused trips on the account.
Account closure due to non-usage
3.20 Non-use of your drop-off charge account for a continuous period of 12 months will result in closure of your account. The last date of activity will be determined by the last date of any discounts applied for, payment services (Autopay) undertaken or paid charges associated with your account, or the last date on which you updated your personal details (whichever is latest). Once closed, an account cannot be reactivated and a new account will need to be set up. Where an account is closed in line with time expired non-usage, any remaining unused balance will also be deemed expired and will be non-refundable.
3.21 We will keep your records for 12 months after an Autopay service is closed (for whatever reason). After that period, we will only keep a summary of the information.
Refunds
3.22 Refunds will be made in the following circumstances for trips that have not expired:
(i) where automatic payment for a drop-off charge has been disputed and we agree that the payment was taken erroneously;
(ii) where you have paid the drop-off charge but no longer intend to make use of the forecourt or paid for an incorrect VRN;
(iii) where your account has an unused trip balance and you wish to have all or part of the balance refunded;
(iv) where you have changed the registered VRN on your account and wish to transfer purchased trips from the old VRN to the new; or
(v) to refund any unused trips on an account that has been closed, except where the account has been closed for non-usage pursuant to paragraph 3.20.
3.23 When seeking a refund for an unused trip, you will need to contact the APCOA call centre (see paragraph 8.13) and provide the receipt numbers of the trips to be refunded.
4 - Blue Badge holders
4.1 Blue Badge holders can apply for a concession allowing free access to a terminal drop-off zone by visiting our website at www.heathrow.com/dropoff. The application must be made by midnight the day after the trip was carried out and the concession will allow a single visit to a terminal drop-off zone. You can make an application up to three months in advance of the trip.
4.1 To be eligible for the concession you must hold a valid UK or EU Blue Badge and meet the following conditions:
(i) the registered Blue Badge holder must not be the driver of a vehicle dropping off a passenger for which a commercial transaction is taking place; and
(ii) the registered Blue Badge holder must have been dropped off at the terminal forecourt during the trip to be eligible for the concession.
4.2 Blue Badge holders must submit a copy of the front and back of their Blue Badge, the vehicle registration number of the vehicle they will be travelling to Heathrow in, their flight number and contact email address as part of their application.
4.3 If the vehicle is not registered with the Blue Badge concession service by midnight the day after the trip was made, then the driver must pay the full drop-off charge. Failure to do so may result in a Parking Charge Notice being issued.
4.4 A Blue Badge concession application is only applicable for one terminal forecourt visit. If additional visits are required on the date specified in the application then each of these will require their own application, otherwise they will be treated as an unregistered trip and may result in a Parking Charge Notice being issued.
4.5 We reserve the right to withdraw a Blue Badge concession for one or more applications as a result of specific activities by the user including, but not limited to:
(i) where the driver is a Blue Badge holder who is dropping off a passenger for which a commercial transaction is taking place;
(ii) where the Blue Badge holder details provided are incorrect;
(iii) where the Blue Badge holder details provided have been identified as engaging in high volumes of trips to the terminal forecourts; or
(iv) the Blue Badge holder fails to comply with these terms and conditions.
4.6 If a vehicle for which a Blue Badge concession has been granted travels onto the terminal forecourts for purposes other than transporting the Blue Badge holder, the terminal drop-off charge must be paid.
4.7 At any time after we receive an application for a Blue Badge concession, we may ask you for proof of eligibility for the Blue Badge concession and/or about your vehicle. We may contact the issuing authority to confirm that the badge details are valid.
4.8 When using the Blue Badge concession, you must have your Blue Badge with you and available for inspection.
4.9 We reserve the right to reject your Blue Badge concession application if any of the following happen:
(i) you do not meet the eligibility requirements set out in this section; or
(ii) we believe that you have been acting fraudulently (e.g., you are benefitting from a Blue Badge to which you are no longer entitled).
4.10 We reserve the right to change or terminate the concession on the drop-off charge for Blue Badge holders.
5 - Other exemptions and discounts
Exemptions
5.1 Unless otherwise stated, all vehicles entering the terminal drop-off zones are liable for the charge.
5.2 Vehicles that are exempt from the charge are:
(i) military vehicles;
(ii) emergency service vehicles; and
(iii) Heathrow operational vehicles (i.e., Heathrow-owned fleet; vehicles with a valid Heathrow landside permit which specifies that they have forecourt access; and vehicles with a valid approval which specifies that they have forecourt access).
5.3 We will manage and maintain lists of VRNs for operational vehicles that are exempt.
Discounts
5.4 We reserve the right to allow discounts to the terminal drop-off charge at our discretion. Where eligible, discounts will be applied to a payment unless otherwise stated. The current list of discounts can be found at www.heathrow.com/dropoff. Discounts fall into two categories: those which are applied automatically and those which have to be applied for.
5.5 Discounts will be applied automatically where possible.
5.6 The Blue Badge concession is a discount which must be applied for (see section 4).
5.7 If you believe you qualify for a discount but have been charged an undiscounted rate for your trip, please contact APCOA (see paragraph 8.13).
Colleague Concession
5.8 The colleague concession is offered at our sole discretion. It may be withdrawn at any time.
5.9 Under the colleague concession, Heathrow colleagues with a valid Airport ID will be permitted one drop-off at a forecourt per day and one pick up from a short stay car park per day without charge. Picking up anyone from forecourts remains forbidden.
5.10 The colleague concession is granted only for the purpose of picking up or dropping off a colleague in connection with their legitimate work at Heathrow.
5.11 To take advantage of the colleague concession the VRN of the vehicle that will be used for the pick-up or drop-off must have been registered in accordance with internal processes communicated to colleagues.
5.12 We reserve the right to monitor use of the colleague concession. We will apply a “fair use” policy and will withdraw the colleague concession at our sole discretion where this not being adhered to. Colleagues using the forecourts and short stay car parks outside the terms of the colleague concession remain liable for all charges that may apply.
6 - Parking Charge Notices
6.1 A Parking Charge Notice may be issued to you if you fail to pay the terminal drop-off charge in accordance with these terms and conditions or you do not comply with any other requirement of these terms and conditions.
6.2 The amount specified on the Parking Charge Notice must be paid within 28 days from the date of issue. A reduced payment option will be available for an initial period of 14 days. If you do not pay the reduced amount within this period, then the full amount will become payable.
6.3 If the Parking Charge Notice is not paid within 28 days from the date of issue, further enforcement action may be taken and you may be liable for additional fees incurred as a result of your non-compliance (including, without limitation, debt recovery costs).
6.4 When you enter a terminal drop-off zone, your vehicle registration details will be identified by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) for enforcement purposes. In the event of a breach of these terms and conditions, we (via our trusted third party) may use the vehicle registration details to request and obtain details of the vehicle’s registered keeper from the DVLA. To find out more details about the personal information we collect, how and why we collect it, what we do with it, how long we keep it and what your rights are, please see our privacy notice at www.heathrow.com/dropoff.
7 - Traffic Orders and Byelaws
7.1 The roads within Heathrow airport, including the terminal drop-off zones, are regulated by traffic orders and byelaws. Notices specifying such traffic orders and byelaws as may be applicable are displayed at the airport site.
7.2 Nothing in these terms and conditions replaces or in any way derogates from the provisions of such traffic orders and byelaws as may be in force from time to time. We reserve the right to take enforcement action against you (including through court proceedings) for breach of such orders or byelaws.
8 - General
8.1 You use the terminal drop-off zones at your own risk. We do not accept liability for damage to your vehicle or theft of, or from, your vehicle whilst in the terminal drop-off zones, or for loss or damage you may suffer in relation to the drop off charge account service, unless such loss, damage or theft is caused by our negligence or our agents or employees, and then only to the extent that our negligence has caused or contributed to the relevant loss, damage or theft.
8.2 You must drive carefully and responsibly in the terminal drop-off zones. Please take care to be aware of all vehicles in motion within the terminal drop-off zones.
8.3 You must comply with all directional signage and other instructions when in the terminal drop-off zones.
8.4 The following are not permitted in the terminal drop-off zones and we reserve the right to refuse to allow you to use the terminal drop-off zones if you carry out any of these activities in the terminal drop-off zones:
(a) conducting any service work, cleaning or repairs to your vehicle;
(b) carrying out any business activity, including but not limited to in connection with selling, hiring or other disposal of your vehicle;
(c) filling or emptying of fuel tanks;
(d) misusing or damaging any part of the terminal drop-off zones;
(f) driving dangerously or too fast;
(h) filming or taking photographs; and
(k) doing or attempting to do anything which is a criminal offence.
8.5 Nothing in these terms and conditions limits our liability in the case of death or personal injury caused by our negligence or in the case of fraud.
8.6 Without prejudice to paragraph 8.5 above, our liability to you for use of the terminal drop-off zones shall be limited to an aggregate of £50,000.
8.7 We do not accept liability for: (a) any indirect or consequential loss; or (b) any loss of profit, loss of enjoyment, loss of revenue, loss of data, or loss of earnings.
8.8 We do not accept liability for any failure to perform our obligations due to an event beyond our reasonable control. A non-exhaustive list of such events includes war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, terrorist threats or activity, industrial disputes, natural and nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, volcanic eruption or ash cloud, government regulations, closure or congestion of airports, and / or cancellation or changes of schedules by airlines.
8.9 Except as expressly stated in these terms and conditions, we shall not be obliged to either refund any pre-payment by you or make any other change to your trip in the event that you wish to amend or cancel your terminal drop-off charge payment due to an event of the kind listed in paragraph 8.8 above.
8.10 These terms and conditions cannot be varied except in writing by us. Nothing said or done by any of our employees or agents is capable of varying these terms and conditions.
8.11 We reserve the right to change the terms and conditions at our discretion, but once you have made a payment the terms and conditions which apply are those which were published at the time of payment.
8.12 Any enquiries relating to the terminal drop-off zones and/or these terms and conditions should be addressed to APCOA via email at generalenquiries.heathrowdropoff@apcoa.com or via telephone on 0333 200 7459.
8.13 All matters relating to payments, refunds, customer accounts, enquiries and challenges are handled by APCOA via the following channels:
(a) Customer Services phone number (Monday to Friday 08:00 – 20:00 and Saturday and Sunday 08:00 – 17:00; closed on public holidays) - 0333 200 7459
(b) Automated Telephone Payment line - 0330 0085 600
(c) General Enquiries - generalenquiries.heathrowdropoff@apcoa.com
(d) User Accounts - useraccounts.heathrowdropoff@apcoa.com
(e) User Payments - payments.heathrowdropoff@apcoa.com
(f) User Refunds - refunds.heathrowdropoff@apcoa.com
