EDINBURGH AIRPORT review : 27 June 2008 : by Ross Clark

Customer Rating : 3/5

EDI-LHR T1. From the check-in kiosk to clearing Security was, this time, 20 minutes, but that owed a lot to the time of day (0800) and this time of year. The queue this particular day was a long one, but they worked hard to keep it moving. However I don't see where they could add additional security screening capacity - short of taking out two shops to provide some sort of Business Fast-Track.

EDINBURGH AIRPORT review : 27 June 2008 : by Ross Clark

Customer Rating : 4/5

From the bag drop (had checked in online) to past security and airside, was a shade over ten minutes, and this at 1630. Can't really complain about the airside facilities, or indeed much else. On the return leg, the baggage was at the carousel by the time we had got there. The only problem was being held up by the bus service for twenty minutes because they couldn't get it to restart and a whole bus load of pax and their luggage had to change to another vehicle (but this is a Lothians Buses problem). Otherwise, I still rate it a very good airport in the 5m - 10m passengers per year category.

Edinburgh Airport review by Peter Cullen

19 May 2008   Customer Rating :

I have not used this airport as frequently as some commentators, but I was recently there and disagree with some of the previous comments. True, it is busy and needs additional facilities, also the shops and restaurants are usual BAA fare, but there was plenty of seating and information was good - my outward flight was delayed but not really due to the airport (the local weather was poor when it appeared very good everywhere else in Britain). My real disagreement is with transport links, there is a bus to the city centre every 10-15 minutes which costs £3 and when I used it took less than 20 minutes, which seems as good as any other airport I know of in Britain. Obviously it will take longer when the traffic is busy, however there is much publicity about a tram to link the airport and city to be opened in a couple of years, so it is not really fair to say the problem is not being addressed (albeit rather late).

Edinburgh Airport review by Jamie Harrold

23 April 2008   Customer Rating :

Unfortunately I have lost confidence in Edinburgh Airport. The last few years have seen it improve a fair bit from where it came from. However, there has been a period of growth over the last year or so and the airport is struggling to cope. The transport links to the airport are poor and appear to be getting worse. There is no word of any investment into improving the traffic problems in the area either. I also find the queuing times in Edinburgh mean that the time spent in the airport is no longer enjoyable while it seems that delays hit the airport more and more. I travel to Heathrow often and use Edinburgh but it would appear that whenever a flight is to be cancelled, it is from Edinburgh. Leaving us passengers late for business meetings. Coming from Kirkaldy, Fife I am delighted to see the upturn in Dundee's airport and I will certainly be using Dundee as opposed to Edinburgh from now on.

Edinburgh Airport review by M Izdebska

12 February 2008   Customer Rating :

Despite the increase of passengers in the recent years Edinburgh Airport remains still a small and cosy airport. There are however, few issues which could be improved; those are: playing area for children, better connection between Glasgow Airports and a safe cycling path from the city centre as well as other parts of Lothians for the staff commuting every day to work like me. Although Edinburgh Airport is a non-smoking airport, it is difficult to believe it simply because the smoking area outside the terminal limits to one bus-like shelter very poorly signposted so people smoke just at the exit doors.

Edinburgh Airport review by K Armstrong

7 August 2007   Customer Rating :

This airport has changed a lot since I last used it nearly 20 years ago. It seems to have coped well with the massive increase in passengers. Check-in and security were both very quick. There was an okay choice of shops and places to eat before security but after was not so good. The lounge area isn't a lot of fun with everybody into one big room but all in all I've been in plenty of worse airports. I'd be happy to fly through here again.

Edinburgh Airport review by Gail Holland

24 April 2007   Customer Rating : n/a

Not equipped to deal with any appreciable volumes of travellers. Security screening is unacceptably slow, with rude, inconsistent and officious staff. Any food available for consumption is subject to gross price gouging. Arriving on the runway and taking 30/40 minutes to get into the terminal building on a domestic flight is not uncommon. This is a little regional airport who cannot compete with the big boys like Glasgow and Manchester

Edinburgh Airport review by S Reed

19 February 2007

Edinburgh Airport is clean, the seating is mostly reasonable and the departure lounge has a view of the planes. The only shops that would be of any use (chemist/bookshop) plus the main (junk)food outlets are all before you get to security. Even if you get to the airport early, security is so slow that you don’t get any appreciable time to browse. On the departure side facilities are limited and the available food is astronomically priced, especially the pseudo-French coffee shop.

Edinburgh Airport review by Yevheniy Kahanovych

5 February 2007

Very easy to use, well signposted. Check-in (British Airways) was swift, staff polite and competent. The search procedure was somewhat confusing, because passengers were not asked in advance to remove laptops and take shoes off for separate screening. It delayed me for some minutes. No doubt, there should be many cases like mine there. Arrivals zone is nice and clean. Bags appeared on the belt in 10 mins. I used taxi and bus for going to and from the city. Both services are easy to find and inexpensive. Very good regional airport. The only minus: if your flight departs around 10pm, you'll probably find all food outlets closed except for a bar near gate 10. Be also aware of local vending machines: they don't give change and if the sum put in is not exact, your money is just swallowed without any option to get it back or buy something.

Edinburgh Airport review by Cormac Phelan

5 February 2007

Flew into EDI from Shannon. Nice airport. I was pleasantly suprised by how quickly the luggage from my flight came through. Excellent transport links to central Edinburgh from the airport.

Edinburgh Airport review by John Urwin

22 October 2006

Yes the car parking is a bit steep but that to park within 20 metres of the terminal - other much lower cost options are within 800 metres, which is no different to any other airport. There is a drop off thats free again within 20 metres and if your pick up has the sense to phone you, you can meet there and depart for free. I agree the food court is shut but airside has other options. It, to me is still one of the easiest and friendliest airports. I waited 5 minutes for a bag off the Gatwick flight at 9 pm.

Edinburgh Airport review by Frank McGiven

5 October 2006

Used this airport when I arrived in Edinburgh for a long weekend break. Overall I am very impressed with the facility – it is clean, staff are friendly and welcoming and it is easy to find your way around. The bus service to the city centre was cheap, fast and efficient. I would not hesitate to use this airport again.

Edinburgh Airport review by Rod Gray

28 September 2006

Since new departure lounges and gates opened the place has improved. Clean, good signage, plenty of seating. Outgoing security tolerable with friendly staff but those who find difficulty walking will find the zig zag to the security desks totally unnecessary but staff are friendly Incoming, passport control is officious and totally OTT. Car pick up for passengers arriving requires tour via multi storey car park at minimum charge of megabucks.

Edinburgh Airport review by Steve Ward

16 September 2006

My favourite airport in Scotland with good access to western Scotland. Good airport, nice departure lounge with good range of food and shops for size. Main downside is hire car access which is now some distance from the terminal.

Edinburgh Airport review by John Logie

6 September 2006

I'm a regular user of Edinburgh Airport and just wanted to clarify the situation with drop offs for Edinburgh airport. Another writer below states that you must pay to drop someone off, this is incorrect. It is true that the public can no longer park directly in front of the terminal building but just follow the lane that is posted Drop Off Zone and there is free parking for this use and its just across the road from the terminal biilding. These changes have made a huge difference to gaining access to the terminal. Before taxi's, buses and cars all battled for a space to drop people off, blocking others as they did. Now its very smooth and easy. Glasgow now also operates the same system. Only issue for both airports is there is no longer a free park to collect passenger area.

Edinburgh Airport review by Graeme Dolson

28 August 2006

I found EDI to be an efficient and pleasant airport to use with an excellent bus service to the city centre. No problems with baggage and buses are conveniently located just outside the terminal building. There are a good selection of shops in which you can buy souvenirs or essentials. Overall the airport was light and not overcrowded unlike some others in the UK.

Edinburgh Airport review by Clive Willets

22 August 2006

Used EDI to get to the festival. Overall a clean, efficient airport with adequate shops and places to eat and drink without the need to walk long distances like at some other airports. Transport to the city centre by the dedicated airport shuttle service was excellent. I would not hesitate to use this airport in future.

Edinburgh Airport review by Gina Hay

18 July 2006

Having arrived at Edinburgh to travel to Brussels with a wheelchair, I was in a state of panic when one wheel on the chair collapsed before I had even boarded the plane. However, I was very impressed with the service offered by both bmi and PAL (Passenger Assistance Limited). My broken wheelchair was stored by bmi until my return and PAL offered to allow me use of a wheelchair, not just while I was in the airport, but for Brussels, at no charge. Too often disabled passengers find all sorts of problems and difficulties travelling, but on this occasion both bmi and PAL deserve a big pat on the back for coming up with a solution which allowed me to continue the planned trip.

Edinburgh Airport review by Ian Miller

11 July 2006

Just been to Edinburgh airport to pick up a friend having dropped him off a week previous. The experience both times was disappointing. The airport now does not let you drop off in front of the terminal - you must use the car park and the cost is astronomical. It is certainly the most expensive airport I've used in Europe. It costs £1 for 0-10 minutes and thereafter becomes almost penal. It cost £5.30 for over an hour. There was a queue of people at the ticket machine staring in disbelief at the amount they were charged. It is just another money making scheme and a tax on anyone using the airport. Inside the terminal the awful experience continues. The food court upstairs is closed - there is only a small sandwich kiosk and try and find any one to complain to (you'll be lucky). the food court is closed for refurbishment so look out for an exciting new eating experience! I think we know what that means in the context of this poorly run airport. Edinburgh calls itself an international airport but like all the airports run by BAA there isn't a single sign in any language other than English. The mess at the baggage retrieval belts still lingers on (this has been a problem in Edinburgh for at least 10 years now). The luggage is interminably slow to arrive and you get the impression that this is the first flight they've ever handled. It took almost half an hour on a quiet Saturday night for the luggage to be disgorged from the London plane. I've flown out of Edinburgh countless times and I agree with some of your previous comments- it used to be a pleasant experience. This is most definitely not the case now- heaven help us when the festival starts! The problem with travel to anywhere other than Edinburgh continues to irritate and how on earth can the taxis justify their exorbitant and excessive fares?

Edinburgh Airport review by James Crichton

15 May 2006

Flew out of this airport in May and found it to be a thoroughly relaxing experience. Check in was quick and efficient. There was a good choice of food outlets and shops both land and air side. Security was thorough and quick. The facilities were very clean. Ample seating throughout. All in all a very enjoyable experience.

Edinburgh Airport review by Rolf Heelas

26 February 2006

Great medium sized airport, in and out fairly quickly with good bus service to waverly train station. not sure what its like in peak hours but I found this be the most relaxing airport in the UK for waiting for my flight. Wetherspoon do a good pint and curry if your hungry (both before and after passport control) With low cost airlines flying flying from this airport, getting to Scotland from the south is a quick and cheap.

Edinburgh Airport review by Alan Wan

13 February 2006

Used the airport for the first time. For what is at the end of the day a regional airport I think it is excellent, there are sufficient shops/cafes and internet facilities. Also the toilets are clean unlike LHR and LGW which are a disgrace.

Edinburgh Airport review by J Marshall

19 December 2005

Travelled through this airport on 14/12/05.The facilities have been improved dramatically and the overall impression is very clean and modern. Check-in was effortless, took 60 seconds! The fact that there is only one terminal helps but no doubt this will change as it gets busier. Overall, a pleasant experience.

Edinburgh Airport review by Alun Pugh

9 October 2005

Security checks take pace at glacial speed ...you may have lounge access but you will spend all your time painfully shuffling forward in a queue and then have to run for the gate instead of getting a cuppa or a beer. It has taken me an hour to get a simple screening. BAA dont respond to customer feedback email. BA check in can be a painful process too. My advice is to use an efficient airport like Changi. A bit inconvenient for Princes Street though.

Edinburgh Airport review by Neill Bell

29 May 2005

I used the place again this weekend: it is my local airport & yes, the airside outlets need more staff & no, we did not need BAA to give yet more retail space when the footfall is rising almost daily but it is still a good regional airport that tries to speed the traveller on their way; friendly check-in, sensible security & kept clean compared to many others. The point mentioned about welcome to Scotland ? I agree, it would be nice!

Edinburgh Airport review by Matthew Ross

23 April 2005

Edinburgh Airport is pleasant enough and pretty efficient. It's much better than Dublin Airport. The car parking has been expanded recently and there is a good bus link to Edinburgh city centre (there are, however, no buses going west to Stirling, etc). There is rather limited catering after the security check - so best eat before (though burger bars, etc, rather predominate). The international arrivals area is not exactly the most inviting place - it is very bland, grey and you could be almost anywhere (there's not even a "Welcome to Scotland" sign).

Edinburgh Airport review by Susan Paterson

21 April 2005

Negative comments towards EDI surprise me. It's a small regional BAA airport with the usual selection of high street shops; it doesn't aspire to be anything else. You can be off the plane and reunited with your luggage in ten minutes. Its only improvement could be on the catering side- Burger King and Wetherspoons always give the impression of being massively understaffed and unable to cope with demand, plus the general selection of eateries is limited. The Express 100 bus link to and from the centre is a godsend. It is not slow; it makes use of dedicated bus lanes, stops at only a handful of stops and makes the journey in under half an hour. Many Edinburgh residents who are travelling between intermediate stops use this bus instead of normal Lothian services. Plus it's free if you have a Ridacard; that's a saving of £5 return. Airside is more comfortable and spacious for seating; landside is better for shopping, excluding of course the Duty Free area. Having worked in a BAA airport for two years I will admit that they are bland, soulless shopping centres but there are much worse places to wait for a flight. Anyone who faults a BAA airport has obviously never been to the old Athens Hellenikon airport, to name one example.

Edinburgh Airport review by Steve Worthington

4 February 2005

Being a regular Flyer in the US, Edinburgh is a delight to this weary Road Warrior. I have flown thru Edinburgh a number of times in the last few months, and I find it a very friendly, and accessible airport, easy to travel thru' and the facilities are more than adequate for a regional Airport. As I am staying in the City Center I consider the Bus service to be excellent (I used a cab once, but had to wait too long and the cost seemed excessive, and I think it was no quicker than the bus!)

Edinburgh Airport review by Matthew Auchincloss

22 September 2004

I flew into Edinburgh Airport recently - on Wednesday 15 September and on Friday 20 August. Both times I had to join a huge queue for a taxi, and waited over half an hour in a specially constructed wooden byre. The byre makes me believe that Edinburgh Airport expect visitors to queue for a long time, it's a pity they do not allow all City cabs to pick up, as Heathrow does. There are simply not enough cabs at busy times. Could the Airport be gaining from a financial deal with a single cab provider at the expense of customer service?

Edinburgh Airport review by Jordan Dias

28 July 2004

As a fairly frequent user of the airport to get to and from Uni for weekends away, the airport has to rank highly for its ease of use. The public transport to/from the city centre is more than adequate, and the whole process of check in/security takes next to no time. The airport isn't too big, which means getting from one end to the other isn't to bad. My only complaint is that the majority of shops/places to eat are before security rather than after it - so be warned if you are travelling through it.

Edinburgh Airport review by Tim Malloy

19 July 2004

Edinburgh Airport is a small friendly airport -there are no links to any where else except Edinburgh. Livingston is 9miles away you have to get a taxi as there are no buses or trains accessing the airport, The Traffic Wardens are a friendly bunch who will let you wait for a few minutes without hounding you - plenty of car parks adjacent at reasonable cost. If you want a taxi the Edinburgh airport taxis are very expensive to Livingston, but if you ring a Livingston taxi they will come and pick you up saving you about £10.

Edinburgh Airport review by Bryan Morton

15 June 2004

In general a very good airport, but the continued use of the grey & lightless Gate 14 for flights to Belfast continues to irk me. I could understand the use of dedicated gates for Belfast flights back when security for NI passengers was more of an issue, but those days are behind us & the vast majority of UK airports no longer segregate Belfast-bound flights. BAA would do well to follow their example.

Edinburgh Airport review by John Logie

6 June 2004

I fly from Edinburgh airport 2 to 3 times a month and regularly visit to pick up and collect visiting colleagues. I find it's atmosphere to be much airier, lighter and cleaner than Glasgow and it's certainly leaps and bound above Glasgow Prestwick. There are already good car parking facilities that are close to the terminal and these are being extended with the building of a new multi storey car park across from the terminal. BAA are investing heavily in the airport and are about to embark on a further extension of the terminal to cope with it's growing popularity. Compared to the airports that I fly to from Edinburgh such as Luton, Heathrow, Gatwick and East Midlands I prefer Edinburgh by a long stretch.

Edinburgh Airport review by W Jackson

26 May 2004

Edinburgh Airport has grown but its facilities have not. Traffic to and from the terminal is bad and there are almost no other connections other than from a slow bus from Edinburgh town centre. The buildings cramped and lack air and light. Travellers either have to leave very early to be sure of their flights - and risk being stuck without light or air - or leave it late and risk missing their flight entirely. Best bet is to go via Glasgow Prestwick

Edinburgh Airport review by Mark Seddon

13 May 2004

Having lived in Edinburgh for six years, I have only recently started using the Airport on a regular(ish) occasion. The links to the city are excellent, with a bus every five minutes and taking around half an hour. Once in the centre you can get to pretty much anywhere you like in Scotland. The airport is clean and the shops pretty good, never had a problem really.

Edinburgh Airport review by Doug Maclean

10 January 2004

My son recently had to try to get to Edinburgh from Glasgow city centre by public transport to catch his flight. No bus or train service without going past the airport into Edinburgh and back out again. It would have taken longer to get there than his flight to Amsterdam. The airport is growing very well and nice to see new destinations being added but don't be fooled into believing it is accessible by public transport from anywhere but Edinburgh city centre.

Edinburgh Airport review by S Livingstone

16 January 2003

Edinburgh is a small but friendly airport. There may only be one terminal but there is a whole host of facilities to treat yourself to before boarding your flight. There are plenty of comfortable lounges and many good shops and restaurants to. Edinburgh airport is easy to follow and gates are sign posted very well. I have to admit my experience at Edinburgh Airport would have to be one of comfort and stress free.

Edinburgh Airport review by Richard Priestley

01 September 2002

Edinburgh is a pleasant airport to pass through. It boasts a small but adequate range of shops and eating places, and plenty of seating in the bright and modern-looking departure lounge. The larger UK airports tend to have too few seats and too many retail outlets, but Edinburgh seems to achieve the right balance! I would say there is a depressing shortage of holiday charter flights from Edinburgh, although the low-cost scheduled carriers are gradually expanding here, which is good news. Edinburgh still feels predominantly like a business airport, however the leisure market seems to be growing, helped by the Scottish capital's status as Britain's most popular city break destination after London. The airport definitely needs a rail link (indeed the main Edinburgh-Aberdeen line passes tantalisingly close to the foot of the runway), although I did find the frequent Airlink bus service to the city centre relatively quick and convenient.

Edinburgh Airport review by Joe Curry

29 August 2002

Edinburgh Airport is now Scotland's most convenient, it's geographical position just west of Edinburgh on main trunk and arterial roads affords easy access from all points on the compass. No wonder British Airways told Scottish MSP's that most affluent passengers now use Edinburgh rather than Glasgow Airport. Airport owners BAA still have a lot of work to do, but my, how this airport has grown.

IMPORTANT NOTE