London Stansted Airport

Arrived from Madrid to be greeted by a horrendous queue for Passport control both standard and electronic gates which is under government control who frankly don't care and can just say "tough" and genuinely what can we do? Then packed onto a bus like sardines which must have breached every health and safety rule in the book. All these complaints though will not improve anything the major airports have an effective "monopoly" and really don't care because they know that despite what we say if we want to fly sometimes Stansted is the only option.

I have travelled for years from Stansted and can only say that it has declined beyond belief. I flew out on 27 May and can only say that passengers are herded like cattle at security. Once through you are then met by an airport reminiscent of something from the Soviet block 30 years ago. The place was filthy no proper floor covering seats well beyond there sell by date and overpriced caterers. In all not a pleasant experience.

Never again will I use Stansted. The new layout funnels you past every shop then at end next to no seating no chance to get to gate early. This used to be best airport in London now it is the worst by far. I travel to Tallinn a lot and will drive the extra to Gatwick in future. Massive queue for passport control on arrival home seems the border agency have a point to prove asking people to remove glasses etc and generally working far slower than in other airports.

Since the airport was bought by Manchester Airports Group in early 2013 the customer experience has deteriorated markedly. I gather that in commercial terms they paid too much for it and now are scrambling to recoup the money from the unfortunate traveller. I know they are spending lots of money revamping the terminal but so far it has all been aimed at parting you from your money and none of it on passenger comfort. Thus there is a shiny new "duty free" shopping area through which you have to meander before you arrive at the new food outlets. There is hardly any seating and even at off-peak times it feels dirty and crowded. There are queues everywhere- to get through security through the shopping area to get on the shuttle or walk to the gates and (when you get back) to struggle through passport control. I am a frequent traveller and have no real choice but if you can travel from any other airport my advice is that you do so!

I flew from Stansted airport recently a week ago to be exact and can honestly say the place is a pit. All I can say is avoid. The beautiful building Norman Foster designed and laid out is now nothing more than a Northern Supermarket look-a-likey with swinging signs hanging from the ceiling in check-in areas which may as well say "beans half price" as they actually relate to nothing in the building. There is also a passenger entry system to security which is just about as hidden as the secret garden whoever designed that needs to go back to design school who actually paces a key entry point in a corner hidden behind a wall. Once through check-in the departure lounge has very little seating and does not instil the wish to shop. I travelled with my young family and the experience we had trying to seat eat and enjoy was poor. Boarding the mono rail from the departure lounge is nothing more than a serious accident waiting to happen. With all flights being called at once the rush was mad. I have saved the best till last security - what a farce. Rude staff and slow processes make for a very poor experience. As you can see the worst part of my break was the airport experience its not hard to get it right. Unfortunately Stansted you have a long way to go to win back my custom and get it right.

30/5/15. Know when you are back in the UK - first had to queue and wait for a train to the terminal building. Then the hell of passport control queuing to get through not helped by having just 4 desks open and a plane full of passengers just wanting to get home nor being able to take children (16 & 11) through the E gates. What is the point of issuing e-passports if they cannot use them. Also not helped by the lack of customer service skills by the staff who said to a sixteen year old "Oi mate are you eighteen" when going to the e-gates. Took an hour to get through-unacceptable. Why are the desk not fully manned as they know how many passengers/planes are landing? Fully appreciate the need for security but this should not be at the expense of customer service. Also queued in February so looks as though an ongoing issue.

Arrived from Madrid 26/5/15 and took 90 mins to get through passport control. Many of the e-passport gates not working poor assistance for passengers experiencing difficulties and no information given. It was chaotic enough through the airport on the outward leg of the journey - this was worse. Conscience dictated that we pay an additional charge to the taxi driver waiting to pick us up. Having read the reviews below I am left wondering if any attempt at all is being made to remedy the situation.

Bad to worse. Emergency e-mail from Ryanair today telling me to be at Stansted at least 2 hours before departure. Must be completely gone to pot at this place. Last time I was at Stansted it was absolutely dire. Only around 5 belts open staff very thin on the ground. It's been cut to the bone at this place worse than third world country airport. Email stated that Ryanair had been advised of potential security delays at London Stansted airport between 21st and 31st May 2015 and were asking customers travelling on these days to arrive at the airport as early as possible preferably 2 hours before their scheduled flight departure time.

No comments here on this page about the recent chaos at Meet & Greet parking. Arrived on time and pre-booked on 21 May. Stationary queue to get through entry gate for 30 minutes (the back of which was completely blocking the main loop road). Once at Reception only one member of staff dealing with lost keys misplaced cars etc so the queue was out of the office door. Waited 20 minutes then had to leave key on the counter with a Post It note with the registration and no receipt. Although we got our car back immediately on return on 24 May our travelling companions were told their car had still not been brought back from the off-site store and would be about an hour. There were about twenty people waiting with similar stories: one had been told it would be two hours and another had been advised to get a rental car. Sent two emails to the "contact us" section of the website but despite receiving the automatic reply thanking me for my "valuable feedback" I have not received an explanation. Potentially then an hour to get in and park then another hour to get out. This is before any subsequent issues at Security. Avoid for the time being.

20 minutes sat on plane after landing because nobody was expecting us! Followed by 1 hour queue yesterday at border control 27th may from 4pm-5pm. Pay attention when you arrive and you can be in the short queue! Very unfair and that is the airports fault!