LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 23 June 2009 by Peter Cullen
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Customer Rating : 3/5 |  |
The first time I have used London City for about 10 years. The airport is excellent as others
have said, small, very fast processing both in and out. However, the cost of the car park is
truly breath-taking (£74 for 36 hours - over a weekend). OK, if you live in central London or
Docklands there is the cheap DLR alternative, but I don't and there appears to be no 'park and
ride' alternative. Nice airport, but at a price which just made me feel ripped-off (we are not
all merchant bankers).
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 27 April 2009 : by A Gabbai
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
I have used LCY numerous times over the past six months on the LCY-ZRH route. It is a great
airport built for quick check-in on the way out and quick pasport control on the way in. The
staff seem to be well trained and understand that this is a businessman's airport. A pleasure
to fly in and out of.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 15 April 2009 : by Simon Welch
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
A great little airport. It is small, easy to find your way around and now easier than ever to
get to. Any airport where it takes 90 seconds to get from plane seat to taxi gets my vote!
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 14 April 2009 : by N Barnsley
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
A great airport! Only twenty minutes from landing to DLR and then another twenty into central
London. Luggage waiting on the belt, polite and efficient staff at passport control. Well
signed, easy to navigate and short walking distances.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 6 April 2009 : by A Patel
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
Having used this airport a few times I always have had really pleasant flight in and out of
city airport. Seeing they are upgrading the airport now, it would make a travel from this
airport very pleasant. It is small, and well managed airport, and all basic facilities are in
place, and the place is easy to navigate, and staff were friendly.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 3 March 2009 : by D Johnson
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
Excellent Airport. Found free wi-fi (usually have to pay at Heathrow) which meant I could work
whilst waiting, a good bar (bit pricey at times) and the new lounge is very smart. They are
doing up the old lounge at the moment so it looks a bit worn but it is work in progress and
they say it should be completed in about a month's time. The check in and arrivals process is
a breeze (security is quick but can be a bit noisy at times but there is no hanging about). No
queues, smart terminal, generally friendly staff, very quick arrival times from plane to train
and into central London - 35 minutes last time from the airport to Westminster.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 27 February 2009 : by Jonathan Granato
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
Aside from the ruinous black cab fare from Finchely Road to LCY, smoothing going. If could
have taken the Jubilee Line and connected w/DLR, but this being my first time I chose not to
take any chances. Once inside the terminal there is a vast feeling of space. Check in a
breeze. Surprisingly KLM contract staff friendly and efficient. Security draconian and
intentionally unpleasant. Terminal laid out just fine. Coming in AMS-LCY you're off the
aircraft and through passport control in around twenty minutes.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 15 December 2008 : by Dan Ross
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
Flew out in the Friday evening peak. Check in for VLM had changed to machines since the take over by
KLM/AF which is a shame. Machines take credit card or passport for id. If you use the credit card,
you need to swipe it in and out. which the machine doesn't tell you. Still, a quick check in
process. There was one idiotic business woman yelling in her mobile phone that she would never come
back here because she had to check in via the machines. Obviously a "status" passenger missing the
express lines. We sat and a had a meal in the restaurant before security. At GBP12 for the main, I
thought it was a bit pricey, but the quality and portion size was very good, so shant complain.
Security was fairly quick. Tip - go behind a business traveller and not a tourist. Seasoned
travellers have the routine down pat, while infrequent users slow the process. The lounges were full
once inside. We had a look at all the new shops. Shame there is a WH Smiths there now, it loses its
classy feel and a bit more downmarket in my eyes. Our plane started its boarding call about 45
minutes before the flight was due to leave. It was from one of the new gates. When I was looking for
signs to see where they were, there was a big board in the middle of the floor with directions. But
two women had parked themselves in front of it and were blocking it. I had to get the idiots to move
so people could see where these new gates were. They are through the bar and you have to dodge the
waiter delivering food to the tables on the other side. The departure gate has strange stools to sit
on. Very strange. But still better than most other airports I've been to.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 22 November 2008 : by Alan Parker
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
I have used LCY over 30 times this year and can't speak too highly of the airport. It really is the
way forward and makes the trip to LHR (for short haul) a waste of time. Improvements to the terminal
have been most welcome and baggage is often ready for collection as you arrive in baggage claim.
However the bar prices are eye watering (£4.30 for a beer!) and car parking the most expensive in
Britain (£120 for three days) so take the DLR at £1.50 to Greenwich.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 22 November 2008 : by R Clark
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
LCY-EDI with BA. The airlines issue 'boarding calls' when the plane is not, in fact, ready to board;
hence the resulting crush in the gate area. This is really an airline operating problem, not the
airport's fault. The better practice would be to give ten minutes' notice of boarding, which would
encourage a much more even flow of passengers. Otherwise, it still has free seating at 6.30pm and no
security queues either.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 14
November 2008 : by Jason Tottey
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
Very nice airport, check in and security very quick. Has a tendency to get busy at times with
standing room only. Good selection of shops and eateries. Expensive prices though, £4.30 for a
beer is excessive. Only frustration was on return flight to LCY, was delayed at Zurich due to fog
at London. However the fog at Zurich did not stop flights arriving and departing there. Will
except that there may be some technical issues at London that restrict arrivals for this reason
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 6
November 2008 : by J Bailey
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
Crazy little airport which you have to love. Very convenient to get off and on the plane. very
convenient connections into London centre on the DLR. Tiny little airport with a lounge like your
sitting room. Check-in way too small in theory, but it all works because they only land mad small
little planes that only hold a few people.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 5
November 2008 : by T Maddern
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
I flew out of London City Airport on October 24. Airport was total chaos because it was closed for
several hours due to a security issue. The check in area was densely packed but I think all staff in
this area were doing the best job possible to get everyone checked in, flights rearranged and
upstairs into the departures area. It's easy and quick to get wherever you want in this airport and
if you are interested in watching aircraft coming and going, there are plenty of areas to do this.
On the way back the approach was interesting - circled London to make an Easterly landing, past the
office high rise buildings, then a sharp nose dive towards the ground. Passport control and baggage
delivery were quick and efficient.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 11 October 2008 : by Ross Clark
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
LCY-EDI. Second use of the airport in a year. The main downside of this airport are the 'gate
lounges' which are far too cramped for the load of even a Avro RJ-85. AirFrance also has the quirk
of asking for ID, along with your boarding pass, when you get to the gate. Have not come across this
before for a domestic flight. Upsides: the DLR access (the train was packed going out, eben at
415pm); the security (through in about five minutes, this at 4.45pm); compact size; the lounge
capacity (enough seating, even at 5pm. Probably my preferred airport for getting to London, and
likely to get more popular with the OK to increase the # of flights they can handle.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 1 October 2008 : by J McManus
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |  |
I've just had a terrible experience at London City Airport. I was due to fly out to Basel on the
0750 Swiss flight - I'd checked in online the day before, but when I got to the gate thirteen
minutes before the flight was due to leave, the gate was shut. In fact, the aircraft doors were
already shut - meaning the gate must have closed more than fifteen minutes before departure. Staff
at the Swiss desk were very unhelpful and claimed they couldn't access my ticket and refused to put
me on another flight. I'm still chasing the airport for a full explanation, despite the fact that
they have acknowledged to me that they did close the gate earlier than they should have done. Be
very careful if you use this airport - despite the talk of being able to arrive later than at larger
airports, staff may decide to arbitrarily close your gate - with you on the wrong side of it!
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 31 July 2008 : by Nick Biskinis
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
London City is the future for those inter-city short haul air routes out of the Capital. It is
pleasant, compact and exudes calm efficient. It has a slightly old fashioned provincial airport
feel, but that doesn't detract from the quality of its operation. So much nicer than London Heathrow
or Paris CDG. Rather than trying to cram additional flights to Heathrow, authorities should look to
transfer some of Heathrow's shortest flights to London City, which would free up congestion at
Heathrow's runways and remove the need to build a third runway.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 19 June 2008 : by S Downie
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
A very pleasant surprise after other London airports. Very compact and easy to use terminal
building for both arrival and departure. No complaints about this airport, recommended alternative
for a hassle free trip to London.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 18 June 2008 : by C Worthy
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
My first trips through London City Airport (out of LCY and back again in the past week) were both
very pleasant experiences: hardly any queues (the one exception being passport control on re-
entering the UK, although in fact the queue moved quite quickly), with short working distances,
pleasant staff and easy access to the DLR. I can imagine that the departure lounge could get crowded
in busy times, although there were seats for all when I was there. Two downsides: some of the tannoy
announcements were incomprehensible (to me, a native English speaker — some people whose English is
less secure could not possibly have understood them: the announcers really need to speak slowly and
enunciate properly, and not drop their voices at the end of the sentence or at the important words,
such as the flight number, destination and gate number!). And a number of the passengers on my plane
had to join the queue outside the building, which would be unpleasant in very hot weather, in very
cold weather or in wet weather.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 17 June 2008 : by R Mortara
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
This was my first time flying via LCY. I can see the benefits; quick transit from central London or
the Canary Wharf area, short check-in queues, fairly well laid out. It's clear it gets very crowded
and stuffy at peak times and although their are plenty of seats I saw lots of people had to stand up
whilst waiting when I was there. Take off past the Dome and Canary Wharf was an event in itself - if
you are sat on the left hand side of the aircraft. All in all a very pleasant experience.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 7 June 2008 : by David Griffiths
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |  |
London City is, on any view, an outstanding airport and by far the most civilised way to travel to
or from London. Only one thing stops me giving it a top score – the quality of flight announcements
and boarding calls. On my most recent visit (4 June 2008) a significant number of these were being
made by people who, quite simply, could not speak comprehensible English. I don’t know whether this
is a matter for the airport itself or the flight handling companies but it needs to be addressed.
Even as a native English speaker I had great difficulty understanding what was being said at times
and many airport users won’t have English as their first language. Since it seems to be beyond the
ability of any British airport to make announcements in any language other than English there is a
corresponding obligation to ensure that the English spoken is clear and readily understood even by
people whose grasp of the language may not be entirely secure.
LONDON CITY AIRPORT review : 7 June 2008 : by Rupert Dingles
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
Brilliant airport located minutes away from central London. Arrived from Amsterdam with amazing
views of the cbd on arrival. Within 10minutes was on the DLR into the city. Makes perfect sense
compared to Gatwick or Heathrow.
London City Airport review by G Jardin
3 June 2008 Customer Rating : 
This was an already excellent airport that has just got even better. Previously a slight Achilles
heal was the fact that the departure lounge could get crowded. Now the lounge has been extended to
provide plenty of room even at busy periods. Security took all of 30 seconds to pass through.
Superb. Certain other London airports could learn from LCY about basic customer care. Five stars
well deserved.
London City Airport review by Judith Siford
8 April 2008 Customer Rating : 
What a wonderful experience! I am a disabled traveller and have never been so well looked after.
Neat little airport, convenient, clean, and full of smiling employees! I will most certainly be
back - you knock spots off Heathrow!
London City Airport review by Antony Davies
12 February 2008 Customer Rating : 
Easy access to LCY via the Tube and DLR from Central London is a pleasure e.g King's Cross to
airport can be achieved in 40-45 mins. Check in is very quick with no queuing, the flow through the
security area is also quick and efficient. The only downside now seems to be overcrowding in the
departure lounge, the seats are comfy, but there are too many of them and it is difficult to move
around the lounge at 8am, it now feels as crowded as lounge areas at LHR - maybe space saving seats
that are just as comfortable may be the way to improve things, that aside the short walking times
are just great. Inbound, aircraft disembarkation to being on the DLR in just 10 mins is brilliant! 4
stars instead of 5 stars because the departure lounge is becoming too crowded at busy times, but
much more convenient than any other London airport.
London City Airport review by Ross Clark
4 January 2008 Customer Rating : 
Returning LCY-EDI on 6 December, early afternoon. Excellent from London Euston to the airport
(around fifty minutes point to point) - good through security - lounge reasonable - but something
screwed up; first, we had the most distant gate, which we should not have had; and then when we all
crowded into the 'gate lounge' (ha!) it was way cramped, even with only fifty pax. BA then took
forever to get us on board, which begged the question of why we'd had the boarding call. Rating is
based on avg of 4* for the airport proper (inc DLR access) and 2* for the situation in the gate
lounge. BA need to change their op practices for this to work better. Will use LCY again, but
probably not with BA.
London City Airport review by T Neuhaus
4 December 2007 Customer Rating : 
Great location with DLR trains running every ten minutes. Everything works very smoothly - check-in,
security, boarding, etc. The waiting lounge area could do with a face-lift though. On arrival
immigration was incredibly quick, but baggage took a while to arrive.
London City Airport review by Jack Sheldon
19 November 2007 Customer Rating : 
Excellent experience at LCY again. On arrival, from touchdown to sitting in a DLR train took 10
minutes. On departure, no-one in front of me at the security lines, despite it being during the
rush-hour. Departure lounge very full, but there was a bit of spare seating. Anyway, no-one seems to
be there more than 30 minutes, so there's a constant flow of people.
London City Airport review by Simon Smith
23 October 2007 Customer Rating : 
I flew in and out of LCY twice this week. It's excellent at least compared to any of the other London
airports. The best thing is there is almost no queue for security (BAA take note); the other big
advantages are proximity to central London and the short walk from DLR or taxi to aircraft. On the
downsides, the lounge area is cramped and gets very crowded when flights are late, as they almost all
were; also the gate areas are very basic and really need upgrading. The main cafe/bar is OK by airport
standards but seems to be understaffed so expect a wait.
London City Airport review by Gerald Chapman
20 September 2007 Customer Rating : 
Easy access by public transport and no delays checking in or at security. Size matters: LCY is
small enough to be comfortable, everything is within easy reach and it looks clean and comfortable.
Plans for expansion need to keep these factors in mind: it would be a shame if this 'manageable'
feel were lost.
London City Airport review by Nathan Fotheringill
29 July 2007 Customer Rating : 
The main advantage of the airport is, of course, location, especially
now the DLR stops right at the door. It is a fifteen minute ride from
Bank station in the heart of the City. This compares with the Heathrow
Express for time but is a tenth of the cost. Other pluses are the very
short walk from the station to the check-in desks and the overall
atmosphere of the place which whist buisnesslike is far less hectic than
the other London airports. As previously noted the airport is becoming
rather crowded at peak times. Somehow this doesn't seem to be leading to
long queues at check in or security but the departure lounge gets
packed. Some expansion would not go amiss though other than going
upwards it is hard to see where they can go. If your destination is
central London, Docklands or the East End you should certainly consider
using London City.
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