Newquay passengers will pay the surcharge at new ticket machines

It should have started on Saturday, but the airport said machines to collect the fee were not working properly.

The �5 surcharge is being imposed at Newquay Airport by Cornwall County Council to help reduce a deficit of more than �1m a year.

Managers say the machines will not be operating until the early part of next week at the earliest.

Adults flying out of Newquay from Saturday were meant to be paying the extra �5, using machines which have been installed in the check-in area.

The airport said it would be taking the matter up with the makers of the machines.

The fee is the first to be introduced at a UK airport.

Newquay Airport, which is owned by the County Council currently shares its site and essential services, such as air traffic control, with RAF St Mawgan.

But the announcement that St Mawgan is to be mothballed in 2007 has left the future of the civilian airport uncertain.