London Stansted Airport

I think I've been quite lucky when I've flown out of Stansted, the last couple of times as I paid for Fast Track security which meant I was through relatively quickly. Yes the 'shopping centre' does seem to limit the number of seats available while waiting for the flight but does afford the opportunity to browse and kill some time. The gate is announced 45 minutes before the flight so leaving plenty of time to get to the gate. It's on arrival where things need to improve. The passport e-reader machines are woefully slow and the number of passport gates open are just not sufficient to process the huge numbers of incoming passengers. I'd say it's the worst I've seen at any airport I've travelled to. That and the fact that MAG are trying to extract every last pound from their 'customers' even charging for trolleys - something that even Heathrow doesn't do! I'll only travel from Stansted if I really have to as there are much better alternatives.

Have used Stansted many times over the years but this was the first time since 'the changes'. All I can say is avoid if at all possible as it's a bad experience in so many ways. The once roomy terminal has become an awful warren of nasty white stud walls that look so out of context with the original design. Security is a nightmare in terms of time you'll waste getting through it. I've travelled through 6 airports in the last month alone and Stansted security is frankly inefficient, unfriendly and tremendously drawn out. People are processed like cattle. We all want to fly safely, but Stansted makes the experience frustrating. From that point alone I'd go elsewhere (and will). Then there's new 'shopping centre'. It's congested, cramped, lacking in passenger seating and frankly a rip-off zone. It seems all geared up to the owners and it's tenants maximising their profit whilst we're treated like captive fools. The rest of the airport, for example the departure gates, are now getting tired and rather tatty. Makeshift joinery repairs are evident and unpainted. Parking is unsurprisingly expensive and time consuming. The passenger drop off hassle is well reported elsewhere. I had no bags to collect and it still took 45 mins to get from plane to my car in mid-term car parking. There is a choice. There are other alternative airports in the region, which is a pity for Stansted because it used to be a good option - once.

The new departure lounge is absolutely dreadful. There used to be a light, spacious departure lounge with plenty of seating. Now after passing down a couple of hundred meters of narrow "high street" you arrive at a cramped and oppressive departure lounge with not enough seating. I understand Manchester Airports Group is trying to make money, but this has led to a poor customer experience. Stansted has gone form one of the best airports to one of the worst.

Just dropped my son and daughter-in-law off at departures and was charged £3 for the privilege, this charge allows a maximum of 10 minutes to unload suitcases and say goodbye. If you don't do it in this time you will have to pay a £50 fine. There is a free drop off service but you need to get a bus to the terminal. Stansted airport must earning a fortune out of this £3 charge.

What a disaster. The shopping mall masquerading as a departure lounge with hustlers waiting to drag you in to buy is more like an up-market Turkish bazaar. But arriving is even worse with the zig-zag cattle-pen lines for electronic passport checking that works only 50 percent of the time. An hour for a passport check at 2am is simply not acceptable.

The worst airport in the universe. After the refurbishment passing through security checks will take you an hour if you're lucky and that has nothing to do with more thorough security checks. The place was actually so crowded at 5.30 in the morning that it felt unsafe. The terminal building simply is not big enough to cope with the amount of travellers. There's also not enough spaces to sit down once you've passed security. Will avoid it if I can.

The most appalling airport experience I have had and I travel abroad at least 5 times a year. The departure was ok, but on arrival from Fes at around midnight, the passport control was just a mass of 100s of people in an endless queue, very slowly snaking round to the passport desks. There were insufficient numbers of people at the desks, and the electronic gates weren't working. It took us 2 hours to get out of the airport, and as a result we had to pay around £75 instead of £50 for our pre-booked taxi, as he had to wait for so long in the car park and pay an extortionate amount in parking fees. Please Easyjet start flying to Fes, Gatwick seems like paradise compared to this nightmare.

For people who think the British are organised and efficient, Stansted is the worst arrival point imaginable. The Border Force signs welcome you and then give you the worst experience of queuing you'll come across. Half the electronic gates aren't operational and the staff bark at you as if you're stupid. Very annoying to be kept in a queue at passport control for 40 minutes whilst the staff chat amongst themselves how long it is to their next tea break. Terrible customer service. My most recent flight in to Stansted took two hours: it also took two hours from the plane, through passport control and to collect a bag. Never anyone around to explain what the bag delays are, and there are always delays. It just goes from worse to worse.

Avoid Stansted if you possibly can. Three pounds to drop someone off and you only have ten minutes. The queues of cars dropping off at 4.30am today and the crowds milling around half asleep, meant I had to dump my partner and his case and drive out as quickly as possible. The queues at the exit gates as people fumbled for change meant that I got out with seconds to spare. Saw cars racing to the exit to avoid paying the £50 penalty. For whatever reason Stansted thought ten minutes was enough time, it panics people and an incident or accident is much more likely. If you're meeting people you can park for free for an hour (?) in the mid stay where the loos are remote from the parking area and invariably closed. Still you can pee for free in the bushes: what a welcoming experience Stansted now provides.

Travelled to pick up daughter on 16th May. Astonished to find that the fee for both setting down and picking up has been increased from £2.50 to £3. Anything over 10 minutes incurs a penalty of £50. Although fortunately I was not subject to this latter charge, I understand that if you loiter over saying hello or goodbye and incur this £50, then it has to be paid before your car allowed is allowed out through the barrier. Greedy money grabbing or what?