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London Stansted Airport Passenger Reviews and Stansted Airport Traveller Reports
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London Stansted Airport customer review : 11 April 2011 by W Ho (UK)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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Queuing at Stansted immigration counters is always a mood-dampener at the end of a happy
holiday. Queues are not too long but one or two immigration officers at peak hours means 45-60
minutes of waiting time for passengers! And you don't need someone to direct passengers to the
officers' desks if there are only two officers on duty either, we can see for ourselves so go
take a seat and get passport-stamping. Other than that, an okay airport with decent
facilities.
London Stansted Airport customer review : 8 February 2011 by A Kan (UK)
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |
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I was surprised how modern this airport is considering its small size and used mainly by
budget airlines. Minimum delays. Plenty of choices for food on departure, efficient at
security checks (departure time 7am Sat) . Arrival(10pm Sun) was different though. Very long
queue at immigration for non EU passport holders, however, officers were friendly.
London Stansted Airport customer review : 17 January 2011 by Yevheniy Kahanovych (Ukraine)
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |
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I used Stansted last week for departure and arrival. Both times everything was fine: ok food
choices, fast delivery of bags, no wait at immigration, fast security control with need to pay
1GBP per pack of sealed bags. Tried to use my own ones, but no way, they were "wrong", so had
to pay this small "departure tax". Nice and simple connections via rail and bus, however not
as fast as Heathrow or Gatwick. My only dislike was cheap and tired look of this beautiful
building and shuttle trains. Not to say it wasn't clean, but it is now kept as second rate US
airport.
London Stansted Airport customer review : 25 November 2010 by Brian Pope (USA)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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Once through security, you cannot go immediately to the gate, but must wait in the shopping
area until your gate is posted on a board. Then a train takes you to one of the remote
terminals. We did this process twice, since we missed our first flight. The strange thing is,
once you take the train out to the terminal, there is no way back. We had to call our airline
and have a representative come out and escort us back to the main terminal. I'm sure that the
design is good for security and crowd control, but someone hasn't thought through all possible
scenarios. The second time we went through the process, the remote terminal was freezing cold
and dingy. Security people friendly and thorough, but I got the impression that part of their
job description is to enforce the luggage rules (weight and size) for the airline (in this
case Easyjet).
London Stansted Airport customer review : 31 October 2010 by R Hopkins (UK)
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Customer Rating : 3/5 |
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Ridiculously slow baggage drop, no quicker than a conventional check in. Once through, the
cafe must be the world's slowest. This is a departure lounge - people are going places.
We seemed to hit lucky with the car park transfer (for a change!).
London Stansted Airport customer review : 29 September 2010 by N Edwards (UK)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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Departure fairly smooth, and wait not too long to go through security though finding security
was a bit tricky as I didn't walk directly to it from check in, instead ending up after a trip
to the washrooms at flight crew security. Could do with better roof suspended signage visible
east to west (security signage on visible looking north in terminal. Return to UK was pretty
dispiriting - plane arrived on time, but passing through passport control took an age, with
slow moving queues - took at least 50 mins. Then with the wait for the long stay bus I
finally got back to my car 1hr 45 mins after landing. That's longer than the flight. Not
impressed with immigration process at Stansted - I found Gatwick earluer this year much
better, in most aspects.
London Stansted Airport customer review : 26 September 2010 by John Rocke (UK)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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If you have to park to drop off or pick up in the Pick-Up car park you will have to pay £2 for
15 minutes. If you stay there for 45 minutes you will be charged £30 (yes £30) for the
privilege. Make sure that your intended party has already landed and cleared security before
entering this parking area or you will be charged big time. There are no arrivals boards
before entering the car park. My daughters flight arrived an hour late, after midnight. I had
to go into the Pick up, but so did everyone else, as the drop off point was closed at that
time.
London Stansted Airport customer review : 27 August 2010 by Peter Cullen (UK)
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |
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When departing you need to arrive well before your flight; I queued about 30 minutes at check-
in (Ryanair) and 15 for security. Staff were cheerful and helpful but seemed to think this was
fairly normal for a midweek morning in summer. Once in the departures area there is a choice
of food and shopping, all standard major airport fare. A long walk to the gate, but plenty of
time was given and seating was available at the gate. On return, the queue for passport
control was enormous (20 minutes wait), no apology or reason given (sheer pressure of numbers
I assume). Luggage was already on the belt when I got there (not difficult given the wait at
the passport control). The bus from and to the long-stay car park was pretty efficient, though
you must note the stop you use when you arrive (some 'letter' areas have two stops and colour
codes are also used) - if not you will be wandering about for hours! We did get the right one,
but it was more by luck than judgement.
London Stansted Airport customer review : 23 August 2010 by John Walsh (Ireland)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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Security queue is a disaster area, leave plenty of time to get through this overcrowded and
understaffed airport. It took me 40 minutes on a Thursday evening, and when I raised the
matter with management I was told that the average queuing time is 10 minutes. Not my average!
London Stansted Airport customer review : 8 July 2010 by M Frari (UK)
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |
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Considering its an airport for budget airlines, Stansted is very good. Good range of shops,
eating places, from burgers to pubs and asian take away. Its best to arrive earlier than
normal, as check-in queues are very long, and security can take well over an hour to clear. If
you're traveling with Easyjet you get the train/transport to your gate, if you're traveling
with Ryanair, you have to walk, and its a very long walk (up to 30 mins). On arrival, passport
control can take an eon to get through.
London Stansted Airport customer review : 7 March 2010 by I Andrews (UK)
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |
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Shopping and eating wise the airport is quite good with a wide variety of shops and eating
places as well as the world duty free shops. Luggage seems to take ages to arrive even at off
peak times and the passport control and security check also can take a long time. but what I
will say is that in my travels through this airport the staff both on the security and the
passport control area's have been nothing but friendly and well mannered as well as being
capable of coping with irate passengers who never seem to allow enough time for the added
security checks. Car parking at the airport is well managed and efficient.
London Stansted Airport customer review : 26 October 2009 by S Adders (UK)
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Customer Rating : 3/5 |
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Staff seem overwhelmed when there are long queues at passport control. It's just a free for
all. Maybe put up a line like they do at security and most US airports so you don't have to
keep getting bumped from every direction for half an hour. Otherwise it's a good enough
airport as UK airports go.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 10 October 2009 by Roger Peters (UK)
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |
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Stansted is convenient to reach, modern design, good shopping and eating. Drawbacks - try are
arrive early to check in, security can be slow. Departure area can be crowded. The airport is
in need of expansion.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 21 August 2009 by A Azariah (UK)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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I arrived Stansted late Saturday evening from Ibiza. Upon arrival at the airport travellers
had to go up and down two separate flights of stairs before reaching immigration. When I did
reach the desk the queues were short, and more desks were opening, but I was met with an
extremely rude officer. Why do they believe in making UK residents feel unwelcome back into
their own country? This is one of the worst airports for this and I will be complaining (not
that it will improve matters) and avoiding this airport like the plague in future!
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 12 August 2009 by R Hopkins (UK)
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Customer Rating : 2/5 |
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The arrival of planes at Stansted always seems to come as a surprise to its staff and
operations. Do they not realise that some of those passengers they seem to dispatch
reasonably well actually want to return? It's at this point I regret not driving the extra
two hours to Gatwick. Yesterday evening it took 1hr.25 mins. to get from leaving the plane to
leaving the car park. I now am convinced that the staff are part of the anti-expansion
campaign and really want to prove that there is no capacity to enlarge this airport.
Passengers arriving from Madeira yesterday were unable to board the first shuttle which was
full. There were the usual ridiculously long and slow passport queues then a scramble for the
car park bus after a long wait which was notionally supervised by staff, but with no apparent
queue, resulting in a low-cost airline scrum. The over-full bus crawled to the car park,
presumably aware it was over-loaded.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 9 August 2009 by Victor Wong (Malaysia)
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |
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Security a total mess, with personnel unclear of weight and number of pieces of hand luggage
allowed. Personnel had to radio colleague to ask the weight limit to Kuala Lumpur. One minute
it was only ONE piece of hand luggage below 10kg. Next minute, it was one piece hand luggage
below 8kg, with small handbag allowed. Was sent away twice for exceeding the weight limit but
with a bit of reshuffling of stuff into handbag, managed to get through on third attempt. Felt
triumphant like winning some limbo rock contest trying to beat the weight/piece of item limit!
No customs counter or officer to stamp tax refund form. Just drop the forms in an unsealed
envelope into a hole in the wall. Apparently customs officer will collect and stamp forms
without inspecting good. Not sure if my forms will get through. Such agony going through this
airport!
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 9 August 2009 by J Bachert (Germany)
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Customer Rating : 3/5 |
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Definitely an airport on the brink of it's capacity. Boarding for my flight started 7:10 a.m.
at which time the terminal was completely overcrowded. Queuing at the security checks was a 30
minute experience in both directions. The terminal is clean and the toilets are in a rather
good condition due to being cleaned around the clock. However the terminal building is very
drafty and lacking seating possibilities. Plus, hundreds of people sleep in the terminal
building every night, so having Stansted Express leave from Liverpool Street from 3-4 a.m.
onwards would be appreciated by many. As I was travelling without luggage I cannot rate the
baggage reclaim. The airport has many fast-food restaurants (notably Burger King and Pret) and
other shops of which some are open 24/7, plus possibilities to rent cars, book bus connections
and of course Stansted Express, which is the fastest means to travel to the City of London (40
mins). As most people flying from Stansted will be doing it with Ryanair, they will not have a
very high demand for service and will be perfectly happy with the airport, though.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 13 July 2009 : by D Piotrak (UK)
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |
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Passport control is extremely slow. Yesterday I was queuing more than 1 hour and 20 minutes to
get through EU/ British passport holders control - kids crying, poor ventilation, people
locked in claustrophobic corridors.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 5 July 2009 by Adam Farrell
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
Ryanair to Ciampino recently, was pleased that they opened the security for the lounge at
03:50 which allowed a lovely breakfast airside and then a wander to the satellite for my
flight. On returning the same day on the 2345 arrival, the late wave of Ryanairs means that
the UK Border check is full of people, and I mean full. Most of the desks were manned and I
still had to stand for an hour as more and more people joined the scrum behind us. Very
unpleasant surprise and I missed the last Stansted Express as a result. Avoid a late Ryanair
into Stansted as the queues are massive!
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 3 July 2009 by J van Marle
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
Passed through twice recently, and it's much better than my horror experiences here a few
years ago (when the queues for security snaked all the way to the main doors). Arrival a
breeze with the automated new chip passport readers. Beware the extra bag volume check by
hawk-eyed Ryanair salespeople on quotas just before the Ryanair gates. I'd love airports to
offer simple changing booths for gents so that I can change from summer wear to UK-compatible
clothes or vice versa without standing in a puddle beside a toilet.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 23 June 2009 by S Blackburn
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
It's not the best airport in the world but not the worst either. Light and airy with a train
station in the basement (and trains which run until 1:30am on a Sunday which I think is
reasonable); plenty of shops airside, albeit with a shortage of seating in the main lounge
area (fine near the gates); all immigration queues open at 12:30am on a Monday morning - but
20 minute queues nonetheless. The only inexcusable error was a lack of open lanes for security
on departure. Stansted Express is great with the Victoria line from Tottenham taking you into
central London very quickly - and at comparable prices to the other London airports. Given the
number of people it handles and the nature of its main airline customers (who presumably would
be happy if there was no investment in the passenger facing facilities at all), it's fine.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 6 June 2009 : by Nick Francis
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Customer Rating : 5/5 |  |
Regarding several comments about transportation costs to and from Stansted, I've been using
the EasyBus for a while now and really can't fault it. Book in advance online and the
roundtrip from the terminal to Victoria Station or Baker Street only costs about £10. The
journey takes an hour, and if you're delayed/early, the team at the desk will transfer your
ticket onto the first available bus. Miles cheaper than the Stansted Express, and a much
better drop-off. Strangely, easyJet don't seem to advertise the bus on their website, but you
can find it on Google. Highly recommended!
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 23 April
2009 : by Nick Paul
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Mid-afternoon departure with Turkish Airlines. Transited from easyJet domestic flight. Bags
quickly onbelt, straight to onward check in to drop luggage. Option for buying train ticket
for onward travel to central London available at bag claim if needed saving buying outside the
airport. Arrivals hall busy but plenty of signs for directions of airline desks. No queues at
THY check in. Bags dropped. Staff helpful and polite. Used cafe in airport for light meal -
not expensive. Range of options available including bars, snack bars and shops for sandwiches
/ drinks. Other shops are creeping into the departure halls taking more space though. Some
current work to upgrade the facilities evident, but not intrusive and the whole place
operating well. No delays at security - straight through to departures - wide choice of eating
and shopping. Monorail to gate (which is up escalator) for flight. Further options for drinks
/ snacks in gate area. Except for airline staff attitude at check-in for return flight which
is not under the mandate of the airport, this was another good service from a busy airport.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 17 March
2009 : by M Jerman
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Customer Rating : 5/5 | |
I have been using STN now for 4 years and in this four years it has improved from very poor to
excellent. I would prefer to use STN over LHR (apart from T5) and over LGW. Security is now a
breeze, with many lanes open and never waiting time longer then 15 minutes, even in the
busiest times. Both landside and airside have a good variety of retail stores, not as many as
LGW or LHR but at the end of the day it is a low cost airport. Satellite 1 and 2 are connected
by a train so no need for a long walk and if you are flying on FR walking times are not any
longer then at LGW when leaving from furthest gates and certainly much shorter then at some
other airports (AMS, CDG etc). Airport itself feels very airy, light and refreshingly new.
Arrivals have been done up and now the immigration flows quickly especially if you travel on a
new passport with the chip as you can use the automated barriers. It is a shame that it is
mostly a low cost airport. STN deserves so much more.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 13 March
2009 : by R Pontida
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
Nothing especially bad or good about the airport. What I don't like with most London airports
is that they're far from the city and transportation costs a lot (and I mean a lot) even when
it takes an extremely long time to reach the city centre. This one is no exception. Apart from
that, very "low-cost" feeling, not the best airport to wait in, but I had no problems there.
STANSTED AIRPORT review : 24 December 2008 : by F Williams
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Arrived in STN from Dublin on Ryanair. A bit of a trek to immigration, but ryanair seem to like the
far flung, closer to runway gates. Joined the EU/UK queue, and after a minute or so the guy at the
desk realised that an ROI flight had landed, stood up, and directed us to a door on the left, where
there is no passport control, due to the common travel agreement. All in all from gate to easybus
transfer, roughly 25 mins. I can't comment on check in, as I departed on the same day with online
check in. Security could have been faster. Quite a long queue, with many scanners not in operation.
And then the trek to the gate. All in all a good experience, bar a few little niggles. Transport
into London could be a bit cheaper. Easybus cheapest at £13 return, but takes a while. Could do with
a few more security staff. Other than that, airport is nice and airy, a welcome change to Dublin's
cramped feeling arrivals (low ceiling), and packed departures (even at 0500).
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