East Midlands Airport

Customer Reviews

No Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 189 reviews
2/10
No Skytrax Rating
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1/10

"diabolical parking for picking up passengers"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Absolutely diabolical parking for picking up passengers. £2 for 10 mins then £1 per minute thereafter. Cars parked on double yellow lines blocking entry to airport. Unhelpful jobswoth parking staff who told me I should have looked up flight details on the internet. If you live any distance from the airport this is not useful. Although you can find out when a flight lands it can stand on the runway for up to an hour before deplaning the passengers - that equates to £52 in their stupid parking system. Local taxpayers have to pay for a police presence to move on traffic because of the poor facilities provided by the profit making company Manchester Airports Group plc. Oh and the pick up parking does not accept £2 coins so that could cost you a few pounds extra just to get the right coins. Rip off.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
6/10

"immigration took 45 minutes"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Security which is right after check-in was really quick and if it started to back up, security opened up another line to ease congestion. After security there are a few shops and then the gates with restaurants. Staff opened up the gate 20 minutes before the flight and were really friendly. On arrival, the immigration took 45 minutes which is way too long in my opinion even though there were free desks which could be used. Apart from that, the staff were friendly about the time and ensured that the process was as quick as possible.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitMay 2018
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
yes
1/10

"Passengers are treated like cattle"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | To start the rip off, the drop off parking charges are disgraceful, £2 for 10 minutes and £1 per minute after that, this is scandalous. What a Shambles it also is, both going out and coming back. The queues through security are horrendous in both directions, but generally worse coming back into the country. Didn't we get charged to put extra security in place a few years ago? So where is it, because I haven't noticed anything "extra". Passengers are treated like cattle, having to tread row after row of guided aisles, it's worse than being in a theme park. On the outbound trip the queue stretched from the turn styles right to the other end of the building, but this is usual for EMA. Coming back there were 2 queues, one stretching back way past the shelter which is well over 100 yards long and the other queue was almost as long but coming in at right angles to the sheltered queue, luckily the sun was shining for that queue, but if it had been raining there was no shelter for them so they could have been stood in bad weather or even snow at a different time of year. In the actual custom control room, or animal pen as I see it, the story is even worse, the queues loop back on themselves and it took over an hour and a half to get through the passport control. The room itself was stifling hot, due to the hot weather and the fact that they never put the air-con on, it's been like that for years. Our Granddaughter was actually sick halfway round. There are not enough "Tills" to get people through, on the wall is a poster saying "We aim to get everyone through within 25 minutes", what a joke that is. We only use EMA because it is local to us, but dread it every year because we know how bad it is. Despite taking so long to get through custom control our luggage wasn't anywhere to be seen, it seems it fell off the conveyor on the other side of the barrier. Prices inside the building are over the top compared to "normal" shopping. The Duty Free shops are no cheaper than the local supermarkets, but that seem to be the case all over. All in all it's not a pleasant experience, but unfortunately we put ourselves through it every year.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"EMA are moving backwards"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | This is yet again further evidence that EMA seem to have a policy of regression. Why? Is it austerity? It's certainly unacceptable and we will not use them again for a decade. Our reasons.. 1) much expense and inconvenience has been suffered over the last few years whilst we endured the kitting out of a new set of duty free shopping and eating areas. Result, the black oppressive and low ceiling in the duty free sector adds to the stress of departure, why not paint it white and blue (like the sky). It's not rocket science. 2) On our return.. The delays incurred from the queuing due to the immigration passport control were the worst we've ever known, 20 minutes on the plane waiting for a bus transfer and another 25 minutes delay in the Disneyland type queuing in the passport halls. Surrounded by signs threatening us to behave as their staff are entitled to compliant non abusive behaviour from us. We are entitled to a system that is fit for purpose and yet EMA are moving backwards and want us to be compliant. 3) 3 flights baggage all on one carousel. Why? There were 4 other carousels totally devoid of luggage. Come on EMA management. Get yourselves sorted, your service is sarcastic and totally unacceptable at the moment.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"delays in clearing passport control"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | Over recent months I have become extremely frustrated with the delays in clearing passport control. The automatic machines are incapable of dealing with the amount of arrivals in a realistic time and are clearly not fit for purpose. I recently had a 2 hour flight from Spain and then suffered a 45min delay clearing passport control at East Mids. Sadly this was not a one off occasion as over the last year it has not been uncommon to have to wait 45min to an hour clearing the airport. Living in Stoke I have the opportunity to use Manchester, Liverpool or Birmingham and from now on East Mids will be my last choice.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitJune 2018
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"don't even know the travel policy"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Flying out of East Midlands recently we got to the Security queue and had been queuing for 45 minutes, when we eventually got to the scanners my partner was body searched which is not a problem, but the most rude and obnoxious woman doing his seach said what is that in your shirt pockets (in a very rude manner and tone), his response was my money, she asked how much and he answered just under £1,000 and my bank card. She said right come with me your going to be interviewed by Special Branch, he asked why and she replied you have £1,000 on you. My partner told her I said just under £1,000 to which she shouted at him - you said £1,000, snatched the money and card off him and told her to go with her. She would not let him get his tray with personal items him and he called to me to get them and that he was being taken to be interviewed by Special Branch. She took him to a desk at the back of the area where there was a Manager and eventually after my partner nearly begging the Manager that the amount was for 2 of us for 2 weeks self catering, I had now joined them and said that he could seach my bag to prove that I didn't have any money on me to show it was for both of us, lucky the Manager said my partner could go after counting the money. We only just made our flight and ran to the gate with only 15 minutes before take off, Tui staff were very good. When we landed in Corfu we checked the amount you are allowed to take on a flight and the limit is £10,000 cash. The airport security don't even know the travel policy. On our return the immigration was bad and 1 person in front of us asked why they allowed people behind to be brought forward and in front of us, basically jumping the queue and he was told to shut up and stop complaining. After we came through customs and into the arrivals the same person was approched by airport secuity and told to go with them, the poor guy had only asked a quite simple question and wasn't rude or anything. The last few years we have travelled from here but this is our worst experience, we felt like this airport is a Police state and under no circumstances will ever travel from this airport again even if the option was East Midlands airport or stay at home.
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitMay 2018
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Staff 12345
no
2/10

"incompetent staff"

(United Kingdom)

Trip Verified | Landed at lunchtime and queued 20 minutes to enter the building of passport control. We were guided through queue lines and during a 50 minute wait, new flights had arrived. Due to the airport not coping with the capacity of people, staff redirected the lines allowing the new arrivals to walk straight into the building and straight through passport control. This left people who had waited 50 plus minutes waiting further due to the incompetent staff. My family and I asked a young female employee whilst in the queue why this had happened, her exact response “shut up and move on”. We said this was not acceptable as we had been waiting so long, her exact response “I don't care”. I have been a qualified professional for nearly 20 years and was absolutely shocked by the appalling response, no explanation and attitude of a member of frontline airport staff representing this international airport.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitMay 2018
Type Of TravellerFamily Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"Hour long queue designed to make money"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Hour long queue designed to make money. I endured a queue like no other. I used to work in Saudi and at the time thought no western airport could be as bad as there. This one is. The queue to get through the scanners was over 1 hour long. Although the airport owns 5 body scanners they only employ enough security staff to man 3 of these. The scanners cost hundreds of thousands of pounds each (I know, I'm an aerospace supply chain specialist and instructor) and yet they aren't being used. Heres the thing. There is a guy employed permanently to patrol up and down the queue informing passengers they can "pay £5 to be fast tracked to the front". The understaffing of the security department is being used as a cash cow. When this cretinous individual was asked why this is happening his reply was "I cant comment on this because its something I cannot comment on" and "if you just pay the £5 you will get through quicker". People late for their connection were informed to do this. Inside the baggage drop area there is x1 restaurant, x1 WH smiths and that's it! There are many decent shops inside the departures area but no way you have enough time to use or enjoy any of them due to the length of the security queue.
Experience At AirportDeparture Only
Date VisitMay 2018
Type Of TravellerSolo Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
Airport Shopping 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"Horrible awful airport"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | Horrible awful airport. I live 20mins away from this airport but I swear it’s the last time I will ever fly from there. I usually use Birmingham but this particular holiday I went on had East Midlands for departure airport. What an absolute joke the place is, on departure it took over an hour to get through security you are just herded into big long queues like animals with staff barking orders at you - staff are so rude to you but even worse to people with pushchairs. (actually saw them reduce a mum to tears as she had to remove all wheels from her pushchair to be able to get through the scanner all the time while trying to juggle a baby — they ought to be ashamed of themselves). Shops were total rubbish could not even get a sandwich to take on flight with us, as none were available considering it was an early morning flight as well these should of been filled up, just restaurants upstairs wanting your Money. Coming back though is the worst chaos I have ever experienced. Sat on plane for 20 mins as no buses available to transport us then herded into the biggest queue to try and clear immigration it starts off outside and curls all the way through the building we were in the queue for an hour before getting to passport gates no explanation from anyone as to why it takes so long - this is not acceptable especially when your over tired from travelling. Finally managed to get out the passport gates and went for luggage and the Luggage belt had broken down. Again another 30 minute wait to be fixed in total it took me 2 hours to get out from airport by this time my taxi had abandoned us so we had to try and get home. So annoyed and disgusted at this airport will never fly from here again. Tip for people booking taxis add at least 1 hour 30 to your pick up time
Experience At AirportArrival and Departure
Date VisitMay 2018
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
Wifi Connectivity 12345
Airport Staff 12345
no
1/10

"responded to with disdain"

(United Kingdom)

Not Verified | General quality of service and environment at ArrivalsShed/Border Control passport check. Arriving off a Flybe flight on 3rd May at 15.55, which disembarked very efficiently. Entering the Arrivals Shed there was a great volume of passengers being corralled up and down the whole area,including across the building. Whilst the staff (in hi vis jackets) directing people, were patient and polite, the Border Control staff were less so. They were abrupt /curt in their responses when asked what the problem was, they indicated that this was normal queuing time and the implication being we would have to put up with the inconvenience. This was in contrast to the hi vis team who said it was caused by a few flights all arriving at the same time. One assumes Airport Management know when they have multiple flights arriving and the number of staff needed to process passengers efficiently and courteously There were only two staff on manual checking desks. The electronic machines were slow and rejecting a significant number of passports. Staff said that the machines were not coping with new passports but nevertheless all passengers had to go to the electronic passport gates. No one offered any information on what constituted a new passport. My passport only a few years old was rejected at electronic gates but fine at manual checking. There is little evidence of any seating for fatigued passengers nor an obvious water facility. It felt like we were animals being herded through and even when asking a civil question, it was responded to, with disdain by Border Control staff. Asking for a complaints form met the same response.
Experience At AirportArrival Only
Date VisitMay 2018
Type Of TravellerCouple Leisure
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Food Beverages N/A
no