Norwich Airport has defended raising its drop-off charge for the second time in five months.

City folk are now being charged £5 to set down their loved ones in a 30-minute time slot without parking after the fee was initially increased to £4 in December last year.

The new charge has been in place since April after airport bosses said rising costs left them with no choice but to up the fee.

A spokesman for Norwich Airport said: "Car parking revenue helps sustain airport operations and investment so that we can continue to offer people the choice and flexibility of flying from their local airport.

"Our car parking charges are in line with many regional airports and reflect the rising costs that all businesses are having to bear."

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The increased drop-off charge brings Norwich Airport in line with major London terminus including Heathrow.

On top of this charge, all adults using the airport are subject to a £10 development fee to "fund further development of the airport’s infrastructure and passenger facilities" - which was introduced in 2007.

Those under 15 are exempt from the fee.