Bristol Airport

After reading reviews I was not looking forward to my visit. It was lovely and efficient. Friendly and helpful staff in all areas.

A more than adequate airport for the west of England compact clean and staff are curt but efficient. The Skylink bus to the centre is rather expensive at £11 return. Not an airport I would use regularly however as good a regional hub as one would find in the UK.

Very disappointing and serious lack of manners amongst the security staff especially the two individuals I encountered on Thursday 4th September past. First encounter involved a woman impatiently beckoning me through the metal detector with a curled up finger as though I were a small child then rudely nodding in the direction of my possessions (as if I hadn't been watching them like a hawk and didn't already know where they were). Second encounter was the man who asked me to unpack my bag then went about confiscating various items (shampoo shaving foam deodorant etc.). He then proceeded to ask if I wanted them back upon my return (almost £25 worth) to which I replied of course. To this he responded "well it'll cost you six quid mate". I have to say I found the whole security experience patronising and insulting to say the least few of the staff seem to have any manners and someone should also point out to Bristol airport security staff who actually pays their wages. Needless to say I won't use this airport again unless I'm desperate. Oh and I almost forgot some of the surfaces in the long stay car park are in appalling condition £52 shame on them.

We have used this airport over a number of years purely for closeness to our destination. However I have had enough! paying £3 for 23 minutes in the express parking and £2 to use a trolley is legalised profiteering. My Local International airport gives you 15 minutes free Parking and free use of trolleys. They even provide free tokens to use for the trolleys! It is a real pleasure to go there. You feel treated like a customer not a profit centre to be milked for as much as possible as quickly as possible. There is limited seating unless you spend your time in the bar / restaurant area enjoying the sixties decor. The Car rental area is located in a depression which is difficult to access when you have heavy luggage even when you are fit! The offices are like a big shed with limited space to stand inside if there are many people waiting to get cars. If is raining you could get very wet queuing outside. The cars are parked on a gravelly/muddy area. No fun when it is raining either for you your shoes or luggage. If you are travelling with someone leave them with the luggage at the shed and bring the car round and load there. The approach and exiting of the parking area is poorly marked and dangerous. There are certainly plenty of staff around to stop you doing anything that might conflict with the jobs worth mentality although there are some who will help. Herded at gates which reminded me of pens at a cattle market with virtually no where to sit. No I am not going to sit on a floor which has been tramped over by hundreds of shoes in good clothes! Some security staff are simply unpleasant and aggressive is it really too much for them to be polite to us. Avoid it.

I'm a regular user. Quick access from city centre by regular frequent bus. A bit over-priced at £11 return for a 20 minutes journey each way but cheaper than cabs. The on-airport cab service costs about £28 one way to the city which is £8 more than other minicab companies. The airport is generally efficient and quick to get through because it is small. Security usually copes but can get congested at peak times. If you forget a plastic bag for your liquids don't buy one as they will give you one. Three things that ought to change: they ought not to charge people dropping off and picking up and staying for less than 10 minutes - it just annoys people and they spend the money they earn from it employing security staff in trucks to drive around trying to stop people dropping off and picking up outside the designated area. They ought to provide a tap somewhere after security so you can refill your water bottle - they only provide hot water in the toilets. Both these things are obviously about earning a few more quid but they are mean spirited and undermine customer goodwill and that is just bad for business. Finally they ought like most decent airports these days to provide free good quality no strings attached wifi for an hour. With these things we would love Bristol airport. As it is we use it but dislike the people that run it.

Flew to Chania with Ryanair had to go to gate 16. A 450 meter walk with 2 kids is not fun and the same on the way back. A 1/2 hour wait to go through immigration is a small price to pay. Would recommend BRS.

Highs and lows. To drop off a passenger is charged a minimum of £1. Car stopped probably for fifteen seconds max charge levied. They should advise on the Express drop off sign that there is a charge. Pathetic toilet provision. After security downstairs toilets out of use requiring a journey up the very congested staircase to the food court to find that the total provision of toilet cubicles for male passengers at what pretends to be an international airport is five. Security was quick and courteous. Finally and I realise that it is not the fault of Bristol but happens everywhere why oh why do we have to show our boarding card to buy a packet of mints.

Having read with much horror the reviews on BRS which came after we had booked our YYZ-AMS-BRS flights I approached our visit with trepidation. However it was not all that bad. Sure we had a bit of a short stroll from the plane and then a long walk along the passageways to Customs up and down some stairs (with carry-on(s) (a generous 12 kg. from KLM) and Schiphol duty-free bag) but I've seen it just as bad in "big" airports. Customs was a bit of a cattle-pen (area is still under renovation) but as expected we "foreigners" being only a few got through pretty quickly. Our companions who had the newest UK "chip" passports also zipped through. Old UK/Euro passports took forever being 90% of the arrivals. From that point is was fine. The luggage came along right away and we were off in no time. A quick stop in the "tough-free" loo and we trundled down to the car hire building. So far it was just like last time nothing had really changed at all except for the new arrival gate additions and the marathon walking. Sadly time came to go home. It was more of the same old same old. Same KLM check-in desk same way up to same Security area (I had bought 3. Fast Track passes on-line with a promo code on the BRS website) and straight into the Aspire lounge. As we could not buy cheaper "Green Tag" liquor because of going to Amsterdam we bypassed Duty Free and spent all our time in the lounge (who wouldn't?) and then directly out to the gate. Again a bit of a walk but it was not bad only a tad crowded at the gate. I assume the gates assigned are based on the plane capacity and some are gate areas are larger. (KLM is an E-190 at only 100 pax). All in all I have few qualms with BRS (except it should have been closed years ago and the City made Filton into a major West England airport instead) despite the £'s you'll spend for luggage weighing plastic security bags emergency carry-on tote bags trolleys refreshments etc. 2 notable side issues the currency exchange rates are criminal the check-in luggage belts have the scales turned off so you can't sneak a weight check for free. One small tip don't let relatives or friends pay to access the "drop off / pick up" terminal area use the car hire lot across the roadway.

Last time I visited Bristol Airport I drove from Basingstoke through City Centre. The signs were either non existent or grown over with vegetation. Security was a nightmare although I had no liquids that needed to be confiscated I am always very careful I was told my plastic bag didn't "conform" and I had to buy a new one costing £1 although I was just feet from the departure lounge. When I asked for the security guys name he put his hand over his name badge and said he didn't have to tell me! With this and the long long walk to the gates Bristol Airport no longer appeals and I prefer to get a train to Birmingham airport. My son who has to travel from Bristol says it is a nightmare getting a taxi now. A shame as from October there will be no more flights from Exeter to Spain so Bristol could have benefited but not from me.

For the last three years we have used Bristol airport for our annual holiday and on each occasion have been greeted by the rudest surliest arrogant security staff. On each encounter whilst being herded through the various security checks at this airport we were greeted with raised voices beckoning fingers aggressive and downright insulting comments. I would not tolerate this in my workplace and if this is how they think that they should behave when being confronted by a mass of humanity in an unfamiliar environment then they really need to rethink they're chosen vocation after all we are paying the wages here. Customer excellence and relationship training urgently required.