Manchester Airport: New Barrierless Rules for Terminal 2 West Multi-Storey (P3) Drop-Offs

Manchester Airport have announced that from Wednesday 25th March 2026 they will be moving to a barrierless entry system at another Terminal 2 location - the T2 Multi Storey West Car Park. This new system is part of a wider move to barrierless entry being used across the Manchester Airport site. How you pay for parking is being impacted by this system, and it has reignited the contentious issue of rising drop-off fees at UK airports.

The Change: No More Barriers at T2 West (P3)

Manchester Airport has officially confirmed that from Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the Terminal 2 West Multi-Storey car park, (now signposted as P3), will move to a barrierless system. For years, travellers have been used to pulling up to a physical barrier, taking a ticket, or waiting for a gate to lift. That is ending.

Using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, cameras will now log your vehicle the moment you enter and the moment you leave.

While the drop-off forecourts at Manchester have used this barrierless technology for a while, the big shift now is that it is being extended to the actual Multi-Storey parking building where many Florida travellers leave their cars for airport parking or for a longer goodbye at drop-offs.

Why The Change?

Airport officials state the move is designed to de-congest the terminal approach. By removing physical barriers, they hope to eliminate the last-minute queues that often occur when drivers struggle with tickets or payment at the exit, which can sometimes push travellers into a more expensive hourly bracket.

This will bring the T2 West Multi Story, (P3), in line with the other areas also using the barrierless system:

• Terminal 2 Upper Forecourt Drop Off

• Terminal 2 Express Pick Up

• Train, Bus and Tram Station

• Terminal 1 Drop Off

• Terminal 3 Drop Off

New Rules: How To Pay For Drop Offs From T2 West Multi Storey (P3)?

From 25th March 2026 at 00:01, motorists using the T2 Multi Storey will pay for their parking in a different way. You will no longer pay at a physical machine before you leave the car park. Payments must be made via the Manchester Airport website using one of the following methods:

• Prebooking parking and paying before arriving

• Showing up and paying online after you leave

The new rules mean that the driver is entirely responsible for remembering to pay the fee. If you forget, there is a fine to pay. A £100 Parking Charge Notice (PCN) will be issued. This is reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

Charges Are Not Changing

Manchester Airport confirm that the cost of parking in The T2 Multi Storey West car park will not change from the current price of £6.40 for up to 15 minute drop-offs will not change. It is how you pay that is changing, not how much.

For families heading to Florida on their Disney World trips, this is good news, as the cost of the holiday is not impacted by the change.

Magic In A Minute

If you use the T2 West Multi-Storey (P3) after 25th March 2026, you will need to pay for your parking online before you visit or after you leave the multi-storey, as the car park is going to be barrierless.

FAQs

Can I avoid drop off fees?

Yes, you can avoid the drop-off fees at Manchester Airport by parking at Jet Parks and taking a 15 minute shuttle over to the airport.

Will I be able to pay for parking at T2 West Multi Storey (P3) in the airport?

No, you no longer pay for your parking at T2 West Multi Storey (P3) in the airport; you pay via the Manchester Airport website either before you go or after you have parked.